Cumming Calum
Description"Of The Road" takes its protagonist, Cal, through different pivotal and symbolic situations and relationships. Cal is forced to face up to himself and his own alcoholism. This is set against the sheer diversity of Scotland, where the margins are forced to eke out a living in the face of alienation. . About the AuthorCalum Cumming was born on 18/05/62 in Forfar Angus in Scotland. He spent the first two years of his life in Port Sudan, Sudan. His parents were English teachers there. As a child he was raised in Glenrothes, Scotland and Aberdeen. In secondary school while Calum did not shine academically he excelled at sport and was crowned National Team Amateur cycling Champion in 1977. After leaving school Calum served his time as a Site Engineer(Civils) with Wimpey in Aberdeen. He worked throughout Scotland after this, extending himself on contracts including roads, housing, schools and hospitals. Calum finally discovered his true gift for Literature when he studied full time at Newbattle Abbey Residential College between 1987 and 1988. He found the liberal atmosphere rewarding and indeed many famous authors spent time at Newbattle including George Mackay Brown and Archie Hinde. Indeed the first warden at the college was Edwin Muir whose wife Willa discovered Franz Kafka. Calum with Dr. Mary Ross his English Tutor there were instrumental in Saving The College for the Nation,in the face of a callous Tory administration, who unlike David Cameron, were obsessed with Thatcherism. Calum then went on to study for a MA at The University of Glasgow in 1988 he graduated MA Hons in 1992. Calum did not find the somewhat male dominated stifling atmosphere of University rewarding and was glad when his time was over. During his time at University Calum met and married his first wife Sally Mathieson who was from Los Angeles, California. Sally has two degrees and holds a doctorate in Psychiatry in Vermont where she now lives with her third husband and works as a doctor. Calum spent most of 1992 in USA and travelled with his wife by car from Seattle to Mexico. He met some truly wonderful people out there and continues to go back. By 1993 Calum's marriage to Sally had failed and he returned alone to his mother Betsy in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was burnt out and after starting a Job as a Technical officer with the Water Board in Aberdeen and another disastrous relationship he was diagnosed and hospitalised with Schizo Affective Disorder in late 1993. In the subsequent years calum has struggled ahead courageously on his own and has been free of Manic Depression for eight years. Calum continues to live on his own in Scotland and realized long ago he would have to move on from SAD if he was to survive on the Estate and council housing. In the face of material poverty calum has continued to heal and he has discovered his true gift as a poet and novelist.
