I had a problem with the lamp.
The bulb went out as I switched it on. I switched off, went rummaging and found a new bulb.
I removed old bulb, placed it on desk besides new one and got interested in something on laptop.
I returned to bulb, inserted, switched on - nothing!
I removed bulb and replaced it again, firmly this time, and switched on.
Nothing.
Resentfully I then went two whole days in semi darkness before getting round to checking the plug.
This meant crawling under the desk into a world of dust, dead men's bones and plugs. Eventually the right one was removed. Opened it revealed an ageing 3A fuse. I searched the fuses lying in heap on the mantelpiece for reasons unknown to discover only 5A and 13A available. UK standards insist on 3A for lamps.
I trudge out among the masses once again to the Indian ironmonger type shop where almost all those little things you require can be found cheap. China must love this man! Having stared at the wall covered in electrical bits for an age he came over and went to the fuses which were naturally right in front of me.
Home again I replaced the fuse, entered the murky world beneath the desk wondering how long that half sandwich had lain there and inserted plug into its place.
Above I grasped bulb and shoved it where it goes, switched on, nothing!
It was at this point that I noticed another bulb still in the box.
Removing this I tried that one in the lamp, switched on and light flooded the grime filled room.
I had been using the old bulb instead of the new....
It was Christmas Eve in the Care Home
and drugs had not been given out....
.
