magic

for the first time in ages i have had to throw myself on the mercy of the nhs. i woke up the other day with a blocked ear, i could hear but it was all fuzzy and odd. the ear felt like someone had hidden a small balloon in there. it wasn’t painful just annoying.

towards the evening i realised that i also had a pain in my jaw and that this was connected to the ear. this made eating painful and a chore – which is plain wrong eating is a pleasure and one i enjoy, even if i could stand to loose several pounds (well more like 20-30 pounds).

so with a quick check on the internet i discovered that my local hospital, the royal london, has a walk in centre. even better it was still open, but only just. so with a bit of a shimmy and a bit of a shake i was there. blimey only three people there, i am in. oh no i am not the rather attractive muslim receptionist said nope too late, come back tomorrow, we open at 7am. well she has such a nice smile i could hardly be upset.

off home i go. i get some optex to see if it will budge the wax that is blocking my ear. it fizzles, it tickles but the block is still there. i fall asleep. i wake up (1.15am) go to the toilet come back (3.30am) what? where did that time go to? had i been abducted by aliens (please no anal probes…). bit more fitful sleep, keep waking up until i say that’s it might as well get up and get ready, which is the sign for the body to crash out and for me to sleep like a baby.

finally wake up. not going to be there in time for the doors to open. shit there will be hoards of people and i am going to be there hours. better get a paper.

on my way, going at less than a speed walk but more than an amble. a drunk in the park asks for some change. i am broke, but i can spare a few pennies. he repays me by doing some street magic on me. which was impressive even if it was not a david blaine levitation trick. no idea how he did it, but it made me smile and for a moment there was a sense of awe and wonder.

in the walk in centre, phew only a couple of people in front of me. should be in and out quickly. hold on i was in before them, how come they are being seen before me. no don’t cause a fuss yet.
mmm she is a nice nurse, i hope she is the one who sees me (what happened to the uniforms).
there’s me name. not the pretty petite nurse, it’s the bluff northern bloke nurse. oh well.
“what’s wrong?” he asks. blocked ear i say, lets have a look says he. mmm some wax in that one, ooh lots of pus in that one. bugger not going to be an easy syringe and then off out dealt with. nope i am on a course of antibiotic drops, feel odd going in, have to keep a tilt on the head for a bit and nothing seems to happen, but hopefully it will work.

even managed to get into work on time.

funny how it is the little things that bring you down.