1. Yesterday morning I was walking back over Midsummer Common after buying the last present for someone. I started to cross the bridge that leads to Mitcham’s Corner when I heard a child scream. The scream was followed by a man shouting. My first instinct was that a child was being shouted at and that I probably didn’t want to get get involved. A moment later I saw a woman running away from the child and man and the I assumed that this was a major domestic argument that I definitelly didnt want to be involved in. Another moment later and I saw the still screaming child, his face covered in blood. I ran across the road still trying to process the data of the situation. Man -father- hysterical shouting English and German, trying to comfort the boy. To me: “you have a phone?”. Yes, I said as I dialled 999 and handed it to the woman “you talk to them”. I found a pack of unopened tissues in my day-sack and passed them to the man who trying -in vain - to stem the blood escaping from the boy’s forehead. More people appeared. Everyone offering to help but no one knowing the name of the road that we were on and the Emergency Operator insistent that she needed to know exactly where we were. Someone else had called 999 too and I found myself talking to another Operator on someone else’s phone while the boy’s mother talked to the first operator on my phone. Oh well, it wouldn’t hurt if they sent 2 ambulances would it? Slowly the boy calmed down and his bleeding slowed too. His father calmed down too which was good, his German shouting was annoying me. As well as telling the Father to maintain pressure with the tissues I suggested he do up the boy’s coat to help prevent shock which he did. One passer by kept waffling about the risk of infection from the tissues and everyone managed to avoid saying “fuck off mate” to him. Another person said that the ambulance shouldnt take him to Addenbrookes because that was “so far away”. Yeah, like 5 miles, 5 miles in an ambulance with flashing lights and a siren. Where else would you take him? An ambulance turned up (very quickly I thought) and I said my goodbyes. A few minutes later I saw another ambulance racing to the scene. Hopefully the boy (4 years old) is fine now. I guess he might have a scar on his forehead but then he’ll be like Harry Potter so he’ll be cool.

2. Came back from Tesco’s this morning doing the last of the food shopping. Couldn’t get into my flat, one of the locks on the front door jammed. Had to force open the bathroom window and climb in. Surprisingly difficult: high window, opens from the top only and only a small amount. Also had to avoid all the lotions and potions on the window sill inside. I knocked one which fell into the bath. Did it break? No, but it chipped the enamel of the bath, curses. I ache all over after that. Burglars must be very fit. Door lock has worked perfectly since then. Grrr. Still, at least I didn’t have to pay for a locksmith’s call out fee.

Both these things (for me anyway) are minor in the Grand Scheme of Things and had (for me anyway) happy endings.

Best Wishes for Christmas.