The one where I stalked a cardboard man...

Back in the bad old days of 2007 and 2008 when I was going through the torment of breast cancer treatment I needed something to take my mind off the general crappiness of life. I did not choose anything artistic, character-building, charitable, or anything particularly noble. I needed something that was completely unrelated to what was going on in real-life and that something was a television programme.
That programme was Heroes, the hit American show about real people living ordinary lives with extraordinary powers. It was my salvation. I watched the show, I read the blogs, I goggled at the fanfiction, I downloaded the pictures and I immersed myself in this pretend world in order to save my sanity. I'd love to say that the only reasons for becoming so involved in this show were the marvellous writing and the wonderful production values, but of course my interest was somewhat more base.

Ah - Nathan Petrelli, played by the glorious Adrian Pasdar. He was my not-so-secret passion and my poor chemo-addled brain was 'slightly' delirious for his manly charms. I spent many a happy evening Facebook chatting about the Pas with my Facebook Wife, Laura, she of AWNTYM-fame. She shared in my ramblings and even admitted her own unwholesome love of Boyd from Waking the Dead. For further information on this time, please just ask her about her feelings regarding beards, glitterballs and Shredded Wheat. I am sure she won't mind me outing her in this public arena...*crosses fingers*

The whole scenario came to a head when my 'Friend from Way Back' (who incidentally has a weird crush on Stefan Dennis, aka Paul from Neighbours) told me there was a Heroes promotional stand in the Halifax branch of Sainsbury's. To be more specific, there was a lifesize cardboard cutout of Nathan Petrelli standing near the newspapers.

Imagine my delight. I gathered O into the car and off we flew to Sainsbury's. We entered with what I hoped was a nonchalant air and approached the Cardboard Pas. The following pictures were taken...

This photograph I took myself, lurking behind the Cardboard Pasdar. Note my ridiculous expression, my just-growing-in tufty post-chemo hairdo and the alarming radiotherapy pinkness of my chest - ugh. But also note me and the Pas looking like long-lost lovers. His cardboard face DOES NOT look scared...

This one is my lovely son, posing with the Cardboard Pas, following my instructions to smile. Note the Sainsbury's man in the background, just behind the Cardboard Pas's head. I think he might be wondering what the hell is going on. This is confirmed by the following which is a close-up of the Sainsbury man in the previous photo...

He does not look impressed. In fact, he looks confused/bewildered/like he's about to call security. After I'd taken these two photographs, we left Sainsbury's and scuttled back to the car.

Looking back at this whole episode, I would like to think that the crazy cancer world I was living in prompted this unseemly behaviour. Sadly, I know that this is a lie and if the Cardboard Pas was ever to visit Sainsbury's again, I would be there like a shot!

I would like to dedicate this entire post to Laura @ AWNTYM  for her friendship and humorous chatter that helped me through the bad times. She is a fantastic woman and life would be dull as ditchwater without her.