Chapter 8: Fighting Back

This chapter opens three months later and Victor feels fully recovered, his old boss Reggie gives him a job, he plays regular football for his local team and meets a new girlfriend called Suzi.
His father suggests he informs the DVLA of what happened and once he does his licence is revoked. Victor has to reapply and have a medical to see if he is fit to drive. From now on he will only be issued short term licences.
After enjoying his recovery time and a relaxing Christmas in the Lake District, going on walks with members of Garburn House, the outpatient care unit and the charity workers from Mind, eventually Victor has to go back to London and finish the degree he started nearly four years before. He thanks Reggie and once again leaves work. He and Suzi decide to stay together, promising to write to each other, as she is due to move out to Corfu before easter to teach english to primary school children.
At the end of January, Victor moves in to a flat above a Chinese Restaurant with two first year students called Isabella and Helen. He spends most of his time in the back room, studying on his computer while they do what first year students do in the front room. Victor also begins looking for answers about what happened to him by reading awareness books about burn out.
For his “Major Project” module Victor chooses the Apple Design Project and works with three other students from his course but also with his good friend Alan, who is studying an MA at Harrow and joins in. There are four other ‘teams’ working on it within the campus but eventually, Victor’s team and their proposal for a Multiple Sclerosis community touch screen interface, are chosen to represent the university.
He also has to complete the final module “Launch Pad” which focuses on job-hunting. One of the university moderators from the BBC offers Victor a job, based solely on marking his “Launch Pad Interactive CV” but he turns the offer down.
It’s a summer of football too with EURO‘96, Victor get’s tickets for himself and Alan to watch England’s quarter final versus Spain at Wembley.
Before flying out to Apple in California at the end of the year, Victor completes his degree with first class honours, making it the greatest comeback and probably the most wonderful day of his life. Numerous congratulation cards and emails appear from everywhere, just as the get well wishes had done a year before whilst in hospital.
After seven hard working days at the Apple Headquarters and visiting San Fransico, Victor flies back to England, writing a celebratory vaunt to Tanya’s mum from 35,000 feet about his recovery.
Back in Harrow, this time he packs his belongings for the last time in better circumstances and returns north with everything balanced and true.

The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the courage, spirit and strength of Victor’s character, aside the reader has not seen before.
This chapter is divided into five parts:
1) Feeling fully recovered and like it was nothing.
2) Going out, having fun and meeting Suzi.
3) Returning to London and finishing University.
4) The Apple Design Project.
5) The elation of not only graduating, but with First Class honours and the excitement of flying off to California.