I rose early this Saturday morn and scrubbed myself clean. I then breakfasted on what they call 'Mediterranean Bread,' a type of bread I doubt would be recognised anywhere in the Mediterranean precincts, swallowed half a cup of tepid coffee and reported at the surgery as ordered for my 'Flu Jab.'
Here I was somewhat surprised to be confronted with what I thought was the local 'Derby & Joan' club outing. The lace was 'choc a block' with aged people either struggling to take off the jackets or replace them. Walking sticks crashed to the floor while others fell over handbags left lying around, grumbling and smiles swapped places, chairs were filled with grim impatient faces, men no longer as young as they feel jauntily left the premises confident they would survive another year unlike their forefathers in times past.
I reported to the young Fuhrer at reception.
She logged me in, handed me a piece of paper with details regarding the vaccine, ordered me to remove my jacket and go round the corner and sit down.
This latter order I obeyed after clicking my heels and goose stepping away though I did not realise there were seats 'round the corner.' In fact the addition of two ex-shipping containers it looked to me had given them additional spaces and renovations now meant seats were placed where a nurse used to terrify patients.
I took my place apart from a miserable looking couple in their 70's, others entered, fussed with their sticks, handbags, removing jackets and sitting down to be called immediately and fussed with their sticks, handbags and standing up to wander slowly away as the nurse called for them a third or fourth time.
We sat watching, no one moved.
The caring society watched as receptionists aplenty wandered about seeking people who did not answer as they had sat elsewhere, nurses also called for victims as those who had been jabbed happily exited to waste their lives enjoying themselves in the worlds pleasure gardens which fill this area.
A nurse in a red top called my name, I moved swiftly removing my jacket exposing my cheap short sleeved shirt, an item similar to one almost all the men wore while the women came dressed for the chilly weather, and entered treatment room 2.
Having almost tripped on the slight incline on the short path the nurse, probably a retired one called in for such a day as this judging by her age, commentated on this giving the impression this was a regular occurrence. I sat where I was told, between the receptionist logging me onto her screen while preventing my escape and offered my arms to the nurse. Flu jab in left arm, "This one might hurt later," said the nurse reaching my other arm with the Pneumonia jab she offered in such a way that I could not refuse.
"Later?" I thought just as I said "Ow! I felt that."
She smiled the smile nurses have when they enjoyed others pain as he receptionist giggled. Clearly I was not the first!
"Told you," she said gleefully then threw me out.
I struggled to get past half coated people of various sizes, some making their way in to the seating area, some attempting to leave while fastening jackets again. I exchanged pleasantries with another satisfied customer as we left, both amazed at the efficiency of the staff and the number of aged persons in the confined area. We did not attempt to guess how many were regulars but I suspect most of the women were.
I know have two stab marks on my arms. I am protected from Flu and Pneumonia and will be sick with colds all winter. You wait and see!
What with Donald Trump possibly impeaching himself and Boris Johnson magnificently celebrating his wonderful 'Deal' which fell apart in around 24 hours we might be in a position to see changes in the higher reaches of society. Donald has been tweeting constantly regarding those who are 'against' him according to his view of the world, and Johnson has gone into hiding with Carrie this weekend (unless he has found someone else). Either way the media are more upset with a US 'Diplomat' who drove out of an American Airbase, well RAF actually, drove on the wrong side of the road, killed an innocent Motorcyclist who was in the right and fled back to the US to avoid justice.
The 'Special Relationship' does not mean a lot to some Americans. Hopefully she will return to face the Law of England and Wales, a much superior law to that of the Vengeful US law. At the moment she is not showing much concern for the relatives of the young man however. I hope Boris leaves Carrie long enough to chat to Donald about this.
Meanwhile Trump i unabashed at asking the Ukraine to investigate his feared rival and has apparently also asked China and I believe Thailand also to help 'dig the dirt.' I am sure Chinese laptop users already know more than Trump does about his man. Boris has not been asked it seems, maybe Trump thought that was a waste of time? Boris has of course got the time to investigate, he had intended to meet the EU but they would not as his deal was flat so he has been studying hard at No 10 instead. Hmmm I bet...
As it is 50 years since the Beatles 'Abbey Road' was released I listened again on YouTube to this 'iconic' album. I was somewhat disappointed. 'Abbey Road' was never their greatest album and was completed while Paul and John fought with one another over who was boss. To have any album was something yet they also produced the disappointing 'Let it Be' later. However, in some ten years they had turned the music world upside down, produced a great many solid tracks, developed recording techniques greatly and become popular worldwide, not bad really.
The tracks that sucked most I always consider were those Paul produced. On this album some strange things appear and Paul was responsible surely for 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer,' a track of dubious quality and content. I always thought girlies wanted baby faced Paul while men required to hear more from John, even if he was slightly round the bend (slightly?). Many believe the wrong one was shot! And that was in 1980! That is now 39 years ago!
