[FLYING BANANA]

Received some very sad news this morning. 2 dear friends have passed away.

My mates aunt, Pat, had lung cancer but not from smoking but from asbestos. She was a nurse but ended up being a carer working in various care homes in Kent. And many years ago one of these care homes was found to contain asbestos. The building ended up being demolished but not before the deadly dust had been breathed in by staff and patients. She worked right up till she was 75. Ended up being in senior management.

She was diagnosed last December with the disease but she declined any treatment. She passed away this morning surrounded by her family, her two daughters were with her. My mate, with his wife, were on there way to see her but unfortunately she passed before they got there.
Under normal circumstances I would have attended the funeral but I don’t know if I could drive that far at the moment.

The other person that had passed away was a neighbour of mine when I lived up in Barkingside. Cecil was as eccentric as they come. After he lost his wife in 2000 he started a routine that he carried out day in and day out. He used to get out of bed at 07.00 every morning and Monday to Saturday he followed the same routine. He didn’t drive but virtually walked the same route every day to Tesco’s in Barkingside.

Always arrived by 09.00 and make his way into the restaurant to have his breakfast. And he would stay there the entire day. He would buy a newspaper and sit in the restaurant all day. Only leaving the table to go to the loo, then back up to the counter for another cuppa. He would have his lunch and evening meal there. He would leave by 18.00 and walk home. Once indoors he would have a bath then go to bed. He would at some point get a bit of shopping. But never bought any food shopping, no point was his answer.

On Sundays the routine changed a bit. As Tesco’s didn’t open till 11.00 he would leave home at the same time as in the week but he would arrive at the Holy Trinity Church in Barkingside and go in to pray. He would then leave at 10.50 and walk through the park, go across the road and into Tesco’s for his breakfast, lunch and evening meal. As Tesco’s shut at 16.00 he would return to the church via the park. Then return home at the same time and follow the same routine of a bath then bed.

He still had a black n white tv. No land line or mobile phone. He rarely got on the bus to go to Tesco’s or to come home. He used the call box across the road till they removed it. So if he needed to phone his daughter or anyone else then he would phone from Tesco’s. I don’t think he had see a doctor or a dentist for years

His daughter phoned me last night to tell me the news. She had found my address and thinking I still lived in Barkingside she had gone around to the flat. The people there said I had moved to Cornwall in 2018. They had no address but they did have my mobile number.
Cecil was 96 when he passed away. He was in the church when he collapsed. The vicar tried to revive him but by the time the ambulance arrived he was gone. Cause of death was natural causes.

His daughter said that the flat was up For Sale. She said the place was bare, hardly any furniture. No fridge, and the cooker was clean but hadn’t been used since 2000. She found no crockery or knives and forks. Only one cup to be found. His garden was neat and tidy but there was no shed or any garden tools. Apparently a neighbour used to keep the garden tidy. The neighbour also used to clean the flat whilst Cecil was out.