...24 and leaking bogies...

...in front of Paul, of United Casting...

...so today was my sign up to the extras agency. I'd been looking forward to this for ages. This was an integral part of my 'future me' and my recovery from my illness.

So there was a lot riding on this, right?

No, it was just a photo and then me writing a cheque. However, I had to meet two of the three people that founded and run the company. So it was vital I didn't come across as a complete tool or worse, a total f*ckwit. If I'd made the wrong impression with them, why would they want to recommend me to production companies and others things that use extras, like at a, err, a......anyway.

I dressed smart, black tie, light blue shirt, long brown coat. Plus my new 'Mr Men' brogues SL gave me yesterday.

I arrived at 11.30 at reception, for my 11.30 appointment. Hey, that's early for me. Yes I know.

Fill in a form, clothes measurements and contact details mainly.

Luckily for me, they're running late.

Sitting there waiting, other extras came and went. All in order on the list on the greeter's clipboard.

Then, what's this, snotty nose, I've got a snotty nose. Crap, if I touch my nose, it'll go red and my face'll look blotchy for the photograph. But it's all watery snot, err. So with sniffing and the odd wipe with my hand. Plus two sneezes. I was called in...

...all when well, I think. I was funny, I think, confident and not at all like a f*ckwit. I think I wasn't a cock. Anyway, smiles all round, good. Then got up to get my photo taken, took off my coat, stood up, bingo, in one. Nice. No smile, just a blank canvas of a face. My hair wasn't too much of a hedge. Then time to write out the cheque; looking down as I write out....

...a long liquid bogey escaped my nose straight to the ground. I'm giggling as I write this now but at the time, even if Paul didn't see, I said out loud "bogies, err, I've got bogies."
God, what the hell was wrong with my nose, is it fighting for the other side (as in, it's not fighting for me, not that it's homosexual)?
Thankfully, Paul replied with, "like that game kids play, 'bogies', you know?"
No I thought, but well, I'm in a hole, "Oh yeah, bogies. Yeah, kids?"
What a tool, I'm such a tw*t. But then I said, "Oh do you need to see some ID or anything?"
Nice, moving things away from my snot string and my red, red nose.
"Oh yes, well remembered." he said.
Then, that was it, all ends tied up, brilliant. Now get out before my snot monkey tries to escape again, maybe with a sneeze. God, imagine I sneezed on him and snotted everything in sight.
"Right, is that everything?" I said
"Yep, brilliant, we'll be in touch. You OK?" he said with a smile, a friendly smile, not a mocking one.
"Oh, yeah, I just can't believe I said 'ah bogies' to another adult."
"It's OK, it happens all the time." Paul said and 'hmm, only to me, surely?' I thought, but he's more than accommodating, this could have been a nightmare. Paul made sure it wasn't, thanks.
I then said, "I haven't worn this coat in awhile, I must be illurgic to it." with a laugh.
So rubbing my right hand like a loony, I go to shake his out stretched had, "Sorry, the bogies again."

Well, I made an impression.