With an amazing hangover I went to get some ginger wine for my father to make his 'whiskey macs'.
I was gone for 15 minutes and when I came back I realised that I had left my keys and was locked out. After much knocking, shouting and then screaming....no answer. I could see through the windows and all the lights were on. With a mounting sense of alarm I discovered none of the local key holders were at home.
The fire brigade took less than 5 minutes to arrive. To my mortification it was followed by an ambulance and then two police cars. So 5 firemen, 4 police men and two paramedics carrying equipment ( defribulators, oxygen etc) stood in the street looking up at the house. I was caught between fear for dear Papa and mortification at perhaps wasting their time.
They broke in through the upstairs window, came down and let me in. I rushed through. The house was strangely silent and that was punctuated by the static of the police and medics radios.
No where to be seen. Thank god he hadn't collapsed as feared.....but now even more mysterious....
By now the neighbours and their kids are crowding round, eating sticky buns and gawping....it is half term after all.
Accompanied by a charming Bobby, I trot up the street as we near the end of the street there appears the familiar figure pushing his trolly, so engaged in conversation that he hasn't noticed all the vehicles he is having to squeeze past or the flashing blue lights.
His new nurse had arrived and she was so attractive he'd asked her out for a drink. They were getting on like a house on fire.
The fire chief, policemen and medics all smiled and started to pack up immediately. I was truly mortified.
"look sir" said the chief " don't worry, your father is safe and well......that is the best result you could have had" with a warm smile. " We could charge, but it's like everything in life, it's all about attitude...... And you've got the right attitude. Have a good evening sir".
The window cost me £130 to fix.
The emergency services are quite humbling with their courtesy, professionalism and utter good grace...demonstrating wit, style and tolerance.
I was gone for 15 minutes and when I came back I realised that I had left my keys and was locked out. After much knocking, shouting and then screaming....no answer. I could see through the windows and all the lights were on. With a mounting sense of alarm I discovered none of the local key holders were at home.
The fire brigade took less than 5 minutes to arrive. To my mortification it was followed by an ambulance and then two police cars. So 5 firemen, 4 police men and two paramedics carrying equipment ( defribulators, oxygen etc) stood in the street looking up at the house. I was caught between fear for dear Papa and mortification at perhaps wasting their time.
They broke in through the upstairs window, came down and let me in. I rushed through. The house was strangely silent and that was punctuated by the static of the police and medics radios.
No where to be seen. Thank god he hadn't collapsed as feared.....but now even more mysterious....
By now the neighbours and their kids are crowding round, eating sticky buns and gawping....it is half term after all.
Accompanied by a charming Bobby, I trot up the street as we near the end of the street there appears the familiar figure pushing his trolly, so engaged in conversation that he hasn't noticed all the vehicles he is having to squeeze past or the flashing blue lights.
His new nurse had arrived and she was so attractive he'd asked her out for a drink. They were getting on like a house on fire.
The fire chief, policemen and medics all smiled and started to pack up immediately. I was truly mortified.
"look sir" said the chief " don't worry, your father is safe and well......that is the best result you could have had" with a warm smile. " We could charge, but it's like everything in life, it's all about attitude...... And you've got the right attitude. Have a good evening sir".
The window cost me £130 to fix.
The emergency services are quite humbling with their courtesy, professionalism and utter good grace...demonstrating wit, style and tolerance.