My self-imposed exile is almost over. Next week I return to school for the first time in almost four months, and I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't the least bit nervous. There will be the unavoidable questions, some genuinely concerned, others patronizing, and of course plenty of that stilted awkwardness that comes with any conversation that tries to ignore the whole matter altogether. It's not going to be easy, and my hide is not as thick as I'd like it to be. I'm told it's best to be humble, to act humble in any case, but I know that I'll go for the jugular the moment anyone tries to take a snipe. And there will be piranhas who, no matter what their opinion of me, are instinctively drawn to blood. I don't know how well 'humble' will sit with me, arrogance has always been my better suit, but nevertheless I do resolve to be dignified, at least. Things have fallen into place far better than I expected this week and I am thankful for that. A stupid e-mail bothered me a little. Already someone wishes to use my condition to his advantage, but he is a mere annoyance, that's all. A mosquito that goes for the far too obvious, right under the eye of its host, ready to be smacked into oblivion. I shall of course duly comply and dispatch him in due course.