old haunt new health

beautiful red blossoms towered over me as i strolled to Kings College Hospital this afternoon basking in the soft autumnal sun and bundled for the crisp cool air. i have only vague memories of the last time i did this same walk as at that time i had a high fever and felt very near to fainting or vomiting or both. i went to have what i hope will be my final blood tests - the finale (once good results come back) of a longhaul of ill-health. i felt so happy to be doing this walk again, two months later, and to notice the contrast in how i feel this time - i'm so thankful for my strength and senses so alive to absorb the rusty red berry blossoms, golden leaves on the trees and changing paving stones beneath my feet.. all a blur last time i trod this path and had but one thought.. get to the hospital before i pass out. i did get a little bit lost. it's amazing how friendly people are when you ask them where the Hospital is.. instinctual compassion washes over them and they look you up and down to try to discern your ailment before smiling and giving very helpful directions.
i passed a pub that sat next to stark council high-rises. it was called 'Robin Hood & Little John'. having had an over-priced fancy pesto sandwich with Triona amongst the glamourous ladies of Lavender Hill in Clapham, i felt a strong urge to steal from the rich and give to the poor of the back-streets of Brixton and Camberwell. Let's hope and pray that our inequality in wealth does not reach U.S. proportions .. or grow at all in fact. As long as the Tories stay out of power and TonyB doesn't move any further to the Right, we should be alright. but why does the gap still have to be so saddeningly big?
while having blood samples taken, the sweet nurse checked carefully that the curtain was fully drawn around the two of us and then reached under her desk to pull out a dirty plastic bag full of the jewelry that her sister makes for a living. she lowered her voice and told me that she had something that happened to match my earings! the unattractive plastic-heart element of the necklaces made me refrain from asking if i could buy one. i left feeling guilty that i had been bemoaning the poverty in london and then walked away from an opportunity to help a woman trying to make ends meet by selling her wares, under-the counter so to speak.

amongst the windows above is the room that i stayed in for my week in hospital. i walked away from it today with a big grin on my face, knowing (hoping & praying) i won't be back there any time soon and wanting to skip all the way home (unfortunately my sore kidney -and my pride- prevented me.)