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Old credos shattered

You often read in the Rust our despair with dependency on mobile phones.

I also adhere to the philosophy that if a day starts badly it rarely recovers. Both were shattered yesterday.

I was meeting an old friend of 40 years’ standing who comes down to Brighton regularly. In spite of or maybe because of life’s vicissitudes afflicting both of us over these years we have remained close buddies.

The latest problem to afflict my friend was diagnosis of cancer for which she has had – so far – successful treatment.

My friend is efficient. She had messaged me that she was arriving at the main station at 12.32. I was not troubled to arrive at midday, have a hot chocolate in the station cafe, read the local paper then my mobile rang.

My friend’s train was cancelled and she had taken another to Hove where she now was. Had I looked at my mobile I would have seen this message and could have continued on my bus journey to Hove.

Never mind it was such awful weather so I could pick her up in a taxi and he could take us to the restaurant.

In fact the driver was an irritable sod and he chose to drive along the seafront which was gridlocked.

No hope now of getting the day back on track.

How wrong I was. We had a delicious meal at the Ivy – always reliable, fun, and atmospheric – and chewed the cud for a couple of hours.

On the table next to us were two men – possibly brothers – who were gossiping about media types I knew.

Nothing slanderous or indiscreet but I  am amazed how openly people converse in public places.

At 3.15 I re-emerged into the driving rain and sleet feeling my mien has raised by at least 10 degrees. I thought of my third credo still very much extant: the words of Samuel Johnson

” The only thing you cannot acquire as you go though life is an old friend .”

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About Robert Tickler

A man of financial substance, Robert has a wide range of interests and opinions to match. More Posts