I’m sat on my own in a pub in Robin Hoods Bay, a lovely picturesque little village wrapped around an impossibly steep hill; a crowd of tiny red-roofed cottages cascading down to the unsettled sea. I’m tucking into a tasty butter chicken curry in a room full of people. This is the only place open…
Last night I ran in the dark, through a forest. No street lights, no moonlight, just my feet navigating a rather soggy, uneven path. It was hard to see the way ahead, and there were potential hazards all around – fallen branches, puddles, pot holes, werewolves and vampires. Sometimes our imagination runs ahead of us…
Where is your cool swimming pool? I love to swim alone in an outdoor pool. I was in one today, cool, fresh and all by myself. It is refreshing and liberating. The water gently enveloping and supporting me as I glide effortlessly through it. Just an easy breast stroke, my head above the surface, my…
I have been literally living with Covid. She is at a safe distance at the other end of the house. We are living separate lives within these four walls. She is confined to the house, whereas I, at least, am allowed out for good behaviour. Paradoxically, my wife has tested positive and has no symptoms.…
—– 1 —– We sat there, not daring to speak. The big man in uniform gave nothing away in his expression or demeanour. He carefully sifted through the documents and papers. Our hearts were racing, but time seemed to stand still. My wife in the back seat was strangely silent. All I could hear was…
My experience in cardiac ward 28 described how I found brief but very meaningful connection with my fellow inmates. An eye-opening experience, which left me with some questions. What conditions encouraged this? What did I have to do to make it happen? And how can I learn from this experience about connecting in the world of…
Sometimes we are thrust together with people through no choice of our own, or of theirs. Maybe in a queue, a lift, a waiting room, at a concert or on a plane. Those were the days. Our English default is to remain quiet and to keep our distance – physically and emotionally. To be private,…
When I was a boy, my grandad smoked a pipe. To clean it he used a pipe cleaner; around six inches of flexible wire encased in fluffy cotton. My sister and I would make intricate models out of them. Similar, larger pipe cleaners are used to clean sinks and drains. Whatever the size, pipe cleaners…
The last time I was in hospital I was 10 having four teeth removed. All I can remember is lying face down on the bed and the nurse saying “is it a little boy or a little girl”. Yes I was small, prepubescent with long curly hair so maybe it was a fair question. But…
We all knew that this Christmas would be different. I just didn’t expect it to be quite THIS different. It’s Christmas Day and rather surprisingly, I find myself enjoying the hospitality of the Clinical Decisions Unit of the acclaimed Leicester heart hospital. To their credit, the NHS served up a decent turkey dinner. I particularly…
Unwrapping The World 