Thread by @AuntieOverAnti

other things I remember about billy - a thread:
We lived in a four-story georgian townhouse that we were squatting by prior arrangement, with 4-5 other friends. It was huuuuuge - 12 bedrooms, 2 kitchens. So we all had extra rooms. We had a tv room, watched a lot of E.R. 1/

We also spent a lot of time listening to music, smokings j's and drinking tea. We both liked it strong and milky. Back to Black by Amy Winehouse had just come out and Amy was struggling, so we fantasised about rescuing her and having George Michael and Elton buy the townhouse 2/

so Amy could live there with us. The plan involved using Ruby, Billy's dog, to get Amy's attention at her local pub. We had some amazing parties in the 'mansion,' we had people come and stay for xmess in 2007 and much slutty fun was had by many. 3/

Getting to live there with billy was such a joy - Billy couldn't afford to rent anywhere and I didn't want to squat while I was at university, so the house was really such a gift. 4/

I had met billy the summer of 2007 after i returned to london, and we immediately hit it off. I crashed on their couch a lot that summer and would hang out with ruby during the day when she worked. We dreamed of opening our own squat where we would be the bitches in charge 5/

and everyone had to do their own damn dishes and clean up after themselves! and Ruby would be the queen of course. Billy loved Ruby so much, and I was worried for them when Ruby passed in March, a few months before her 16th birthday. 6/

some other random things - they loved purple, and tigers and elephants, and power ballads, and children, and shows like Nurse Jacky, ER and Lost Girl. Hated R.E.M., and at the time was convinced cats were plotting to take over the world and should not be trusted 7/

We only lived together for a few months but when they moved back to Hackney I still spent a lot of time on their sofa. Our friendship was definitely codependant at times, hell probably a lot of the time, and we took breaks from it. 8/

We were both dealing with a lot of unprocessed trauma. I don't know if Billy ID'd on the ace spectrum in recent years, but back then they taught me a lot about being celibate/having intimate nonsexual relationships. And they believed in me, and my academic studies. 9/

if my PhD (on collective memories of political violence) is dedicated to anyone, it would be Billy. I don't know if I would have made it through my undergrad and MA without their support and love. coming back to london to visit after we fell out was never the same 10/

and London is full of memories of them. When things were good between us, and even when they weren't, they were my favourite person in the world. We were going to have a ridiculous friend-marriage ceremony at a squat cafe called the morgue, with Ruby as the flower girl. 11/11

@threadreaderapp unroll please!

@steadfastd3sign i was also remembering our trip to Edinburgh