Old times

Yesterday I had the first taste of runner beans this year. They were out of the polytunnel. The photos show that I will have a few more meals. It is the first time I have set them in the Spring, I tried it for the first time last year in the Autumn. I hope to take a photo of some pick beans to show how they are.
 I was talking about the health Service in my last blog. It bought to mind what happened to me many years ago. It was in the early 70s.
 I had cause to go to see my G.P. who has now died. In fact he died many years ago. His name was Dr. Ken Firth. He was the old fashioned type, mind you most were in the 70s. I went to his Surgery about 9.20am. He never arrived there until 9.30am. In those days after the morning Surgery the G.Ps. went out on their rounds to visit patients who could not get to the Surgery. Soon after 9.30am. he appeared. I was standing outside the Surgery because it was full. When he walked up he looked at me and uttered theses words. "Christ all bloody mighty". He then entered his consulting room. It was not all that long a wait before it was my turn. I gave him the good news that I was the last patient for him to see. He then told me he didn't mind seeing me at all as I was a rare patient and only came to see him when something was wrong. I let him know that I could hardly move with my back. He just felt round the rear and informed me that I had Fibrositis and he would give me a prescription to take to Benny Knowles. He was the chemist although he was well known I didn't know him personally.
 Before I left the Dr. told me that the Surgery was full because of the Women using it as a meeting place while the Bingo Hall opened at 10.00am. He informed me all they wanted was aspirin's on the NHS and if they were charged £1 for a consultation, the Surgery would be near empty.
 Off I went to the Chemist, it was Benny himself who took my prescription off me, had a quick look then told me he would do that for me while I waited. Less than a minute later he came back with a largish tin. The size from what I could remember was about the Tate and Lyle Golden Syrup tin. He handed it to me and told me that he had given me the tin that the tablets came in and that there were a few extra. He told me that there was enough extra for when I had another attack of Fibrositis. Incidentally I never had another attack. I kept the tin until I left in 1993. I wish I had kept the tin. I am sure the tablets were made by Giegy or Geigy. What I did know is that each tablet was large. This was how it was in a sleepy seaside Town out of the main Season. Remember it was in the early 70s well over 40 years ago.
 The young man from next door called for a short time today, he told me he had been to the Doctors and they told him he has a weak heart. He has to go for blood tests, something the petrifies him. He will know more after these tests. HE then told me his Parents had weak hearts. Anyway I will eventually get to know all eventually. More soon.