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As I walk the walk to Raby Mere itself, I walk down some very windy, leafy lanes. With the way the light changes, the coolness on a sunny day, the journey is pleasant.

But, one week I reached the bottom of the hill and the small bridge over The Dibbin, which is no more than a meandering stream there; and I looked down to the gurgling water and noticed a black water soaked bag of golf-clubs, threatening to dam the water. I had wanted to get it out of the water, yet my body excluded my desires, which I did find really frustrating. And, I couldn’t fathom initially why such a thing would just be dumped in the water, like that. Then I thought of the golf-club, just up the road and had put and two together, finding it amusing for a moment, to think of the irate golfer who’d had a bad game and thrown them into the stream. Well, weeks passed by and frustration grew, as I saw that golf-bag lying there in the water. Then eventually I’d been given cause to smile, when I’d looked over the wall and, the golf-bag had no longer been there, in the water. And I couldn’t help but muse on that one, wondering whether the irate golfer had come back, for his expensive clubs…



*



I heard the Mona Lisa Twins a couple of years back, on Radio Merseyside, our local radio station. Austrian twins, Mona and Lisa, singing rock n roll at The Cavern, Liverpool: I liked them: their sound, their look, everything. But, I never had the money or the energy to go see them, gigging at the Cavern. I had even found their Youtube channel and, obtained some of their songs.

So, I’d wanted to go see them FOREVER. Well, as I haven’t done too much special, since Barry died, it was my treat, for me. So, I took loads of meds and, had a whale of a time, enjoying the night as I used to enjoy going to The Commodore, years ago.



I do recall making my way through a lot of men to get to the bar when I’d entered. Then as I was waiting, I’d made a space for a pretty young brunette, so that she could get served. And, I had been trying to be nice, no more; as I was aware of her fella standing to her left. As we had stood there I had turned to her and smiled, then said to her, “Well this’ll be interesting.” I had explained: “Here we have an all-male bar staff and I have a pretty lady standing next to me. Now I wonder who’ll get served first?”

I had waited and watched the busy staff. Then one young man, who had already nodded to me previously, noticed the brunette and, within forty-five seconds his eyes widened and he had made a bee-line for where she stood.

I had smiled and when she had made to defer to me, I had smiled and said to her, “No get out of it, that was just what I had expected, no more…”

And, that had just been my start to the evening, a lot to see and, listen to…

*

Well, I’d had my dole medical and it had gone just as badly as I had expected. It had even begun badly, before it had begun, with my advocate being a few minutes late, so the guys on the desk at the dole saw what I can be liked, when I’m freaked by the system, like goodstyle; as I couldn’t abide the idea of going through the double doors at the back of the office without him being there.

Then during the medical, the doctor had broke protocol twice and, once intimated I'd be thrown off the sick; something he should NEVER do. So, I do have cause for complaint, to appeal... but... the crack is before I can do that I have to find out what the actual decision is. But, he had inconvenienced my advocate s well; while not reading my doctors letter, which the decision makers told my MP's PA that I should ensure he got to read… Needless to say, the damn medical left me more pissed off with ‘the system’ than I’d already been previously. And, I’d been bad to start with…

*

And, come the end of the week, I decided to goto The Cavern again on the Saturday, so made a point of inviting Karl. Well, the journey was alright and, as it’s so darn hot in the venue I’d been glad to have dressed shirtless, beneath my blue zip-up jacket. And, soon I’d been enjoying the live music, not minding too much, that it hadn’t been the twins, as there’d been so much to see while listening. For instance; as I’d approached the bar I’d noticed the young woman from the previous week. As I’d stood to her right, with my height and cap and gigs and beard, there’s seriously noway she could have missed seeing me there, nor could her fella, again standing to her left and just behind here. Needless to say, I’d found that a great beginning to what I’d hoped would be another good night. Eventually Karl had arrived, with his new girlfriend Laurie and, it had been cool to realise, he’d turned up to please me, as they’d already plans of their own. Put, that together with a pleasant Sunday spent gardening and at The Mere, my weekend had definitely been alright… I’d gone to bed knowing full well that having bloods taken on the Monday and, an operation on the Wednesday would be a definite diversion from thoughts of the dole.



And, the much-needed distraction had occurred, as needed…



Come the Monday, after housework, I went to the doctor’s as requested, to give them yet another sample of blood – this after I gave one the week prior. {It seems my ‘Iron and follates’ have to be kept an eye on, or something like that.} A middle-age blonde, with a very busy life, got to the counter as I left it to deliberate, ‘what next?’ I had stood behind her, as I thought on and heard her making an effort to explain why she had not turned up for an appointment the evening before. The receptionist had typed stuff into her notes, then read back what she’d written, using the word previously unsaid, ‘apologise.’ And what had got to me was that even when she’d heard the word she had not used it herself. Anyway… That leads me on to Wednesday and, yet another hospital appointment and, yet another diagnosis of yet another ‘something irritating.’ My sole consolation was Lucie offering to pick me up, straight after finishing work, which had been a pleasant surprise indeed and, most appreciated, as the walk from the hospital to the station would have seemed even longer than it does, after having my procedure. And, not to be too specific, I’d almost been surprised that the darn camera dash snipper, hadn’t popped outta my mouth, as I’d spoken of my past, in response to the nurse asking me questing, to distract me, from the strange sensations going on inside me. That was certainly something to recall from the day; as was the slim pretty, blonde blue-eyed nurse, name of Jill, a Scorpio born on the twenty-second, who had called me down, prior to the op, as she had gone through my notes… An then, there’d been the relief I’d felt at seeing Lucie, outside the hospital. As we had travelled homeward, I had checked over the pink piece of paper I had been given, my colonoscopy report; I’d learnt what I have, which is called Diverticulosis. Since then I haven’t slept well, over-thinking the results of the medical. Then I’d listened to someone remind me how many pass on appeal and, well… that gave me something pleasant to think of… which is good… And, Life trundles on: with me writing ‘it all out’ and, wondering if anyone reads my rambling tomes...

I had a sleepless night on the Sunday, in expectation of the hospital visit the next day. Needless to say, that’d entailed me waking up feeling more tired than when I’d gone to bed. Then having got the housework done with Dad, I’d got ready to travel, later. Well, the weather had been pretty good and, I’d enjoyed the journey, but not what I’d encountered at the end of it…



At reception of this private hospital, doing NHS work, I found from a young numpty, the venue for my consultation had changed, without notification, as far as I was concerned. And, this kid on reception kept saying, “We did try to phone…”



Then she told me that they wrote on the seventeenth. Well by Wednesday, I still hadn’t had the letter she had sent to me. Anyway, I just eyed the girl, told her she was wasting my time and money and as I was getting angry, it was best that I leave.



Needless to say, as the kid had made mention of my own doctors, I had gone to their to ascertain the veracity of her story: ‘we didn’t phone as your doctors say you’re weird about answering.



Anyway, there’d been no mention of a call logged. So, I was in a momentary quandary, then decided to ‘wait and see’, but be prepared to stay ill, having cut my nose off to spite my face, to ensure the treatment was not finished, so they could not charge the NHS several hundred pounds, or so.



Unfortunately, my plans to be awkward were scuppered when I returned from a pleasant walk and answered the phone. ‘Twas the consultants secretary, with an explanation, apology and, an appointment at a venue to suit and at a time to suit, to discuss the scan of my face…



Well, come the Monday, after the housework I had checked the mail, to learn that I’d still not received the letter ‘the kid’ on reception had spoken of, which had not really surprised me at all. Then come Tuesday I went to Laird Street, on a day too hot for travelling, to keep the appointment that had been arranged for me and, needless to say, the letter still hadn’t arrived before I’d left home. Anyway, I’d waited in the waiting-room, being patient, literally and, what had amused me was being able to watch the woman who rang me coaching ‘the kid’, quite pointedly, about something or other. And, I had found myself wondering whether it was done for my benefit, or not… It was as I left the place I didn’t know whether to bemoan the fact that the consultant was sending me to a surgeon at the Royal, where I’m due to be seen for ‘other matter’… put those together with the dole medical, due soon and, it’s not really surprising my heads permanently ‘gone west’...



And, after weeks of the rest of the country getting some rain while the Wirral gets none, it’s possible to give a guess where I’d been going when the skies opened up!

I’d been on the way to Raby Mere and, a good way there at that. Well, I’d sought shelter, crouched down and had a smoke, while the rain had lightened up enough for me to start walking homeward…