Future me: Lucy's story

My dream day is …

The day I open a cafe and craft centre in Galashiels. It’s called Cup-a-Craft. There are lots of cafes there, but I think it would be quite cool to have a different one.

I wake up in …

My apartment, in my bedroom. I’m 22. It’s 6.30 and a sunny day and I’m excited to get the business open. I’ve got animals around me, maybe a lizard and a dog. My dog is called Rex but I’m not quite sure about the lizard.

To get myself ready for the big day I …

Put on some jeans and a nice jumper. I’ll have butter and jam on toast, my favourite breakfast. I’ll drink a chocolate milkshake then I’ll be ready to go. My mum and dad call and say good luck.

To get to my cafe and craft centre …

I get to Cup-a-Craft on either my bike or skateboard. I have absence seizures so I sometimes go blank and it’s like I’m not there, so one of the things I’ll have to be careful about is crossing the road. I’ll see my next-door neighbour and one or two friends. They say good luck. I’m feeling excited but I’ve got butterflies. Cup-a-Craft has got a big sign and there’s glass windows and cakes on the shelves and pottery. The door looks really welcoming and standout-ish and it makes you want to go in and find out what it’s all about.

The first things I see when I walk in are …

Tables, a counter with chocolate cake and flowers and then a little hallway to the back where you can do arts and crafts like painting and pottery. Two of my best friends will be helping me and hopefully my mum and dad, if dad learns how to cook! My best friends would be in the craft bay, and my mum would bake. I’d be teaching crafts. I’ve made a hologram out of plastic into this special shape. I watched this video and you put your hologram in the middle and it comes up in a little special in the middle. It was really cool.

The moment I open the doors feels like …

I’ve accomplished so much. I feel really proud of myself. When I was diagnosed with epilepsy I lost my confidence a bit but I did a YouTube video during the first lockdown last year and an author in America who wrote a book about her son’s epilepsy got in touch - so now I’m a penpal with him. I also did a video interview for Young Epilepsy with someone older than me and talking to her made me feel like I could get somewhere. It’s been hard getting all the stuff to make the cafe, and buying everything and getting people to work for me before it’s even open. But when I open, there are two holes on either side of the cafe with a nice red ribbon. I would take the scissors out and cut the ribbon. I would see some workmen and workwomen passing by, some family, and people that want to get into crafting. I really hope people enjoy themselves.

At the end of the first day I …

Talk to my mum and say thank you for teaching me how to bake and for raising me and getting me to this position. My friend who’s helping me that day gives me the last slice of cake from a whole carrot cake. I feel really happy and that I’ve had an amazing day and I’ll notice there’s nothing left, no cake, no coffee, nothing. And it would make me feel really good.

To relax after my big day I …

Watch some television or read a book or work on some art. Me and my dad watch The Walking Dead and I really like it. I’ll eat the last slice of cake my friend gave me. And I’ll maybe drink some juice and take my epilepsy medication. I have to take it every morning and night as it controls my seizures.

The day means so much to me because …

It’s the day when I started becoming an adult and the day when my dream came true. I think I’ll feel a real achievement and like I have something that’s all mine that’s really popular. I think it will be really cool.