Small Talk

The other week I attended an awards ceremony in London and was seated during dinner between Jung Chang, the acclaimed author of Wild Swans, and an actress who stars in Holby City, a television series I have, unfortunately, never watched.

I mention this not to give the impression that I lead a glamorous life – my existence is as tear-strewn as ever – or that I was up for an award (I wasn’t) but because something traumatic occurred between the main course and dessert.

In short, for the first time since the age of 13, I lost the ability to chat. For a period of what must have been five minutes, I just sat there, staring at my cutlery. It was awful. So bad, in fact, that the next day I did something shaming: I considered seeking professional help. And was surprised to discover how much was available…

Read at Times Online