A sobering encounter

I spent the past two days at an enjoyable family gathering built around yesterday’s England v Wales rugby match at Twickenham which was also attended by an old friend of my father’s who recently had a major health scare.

He’s a worthy addition to any social occasion but reports we had heard in advance that he had been hit for six by his encounter with mortality proved true. His personality is such that he initiated and joined in conversations with his usual affability but he was – hopefully temporarily – undoubtedly a diminished man.

He told of having lost a stone after having fluid drained from his lungs and learning that his heart was working at only 40% capacity. Now on a strict diet, he eschewed alcohol and drank only water. Not the way this entertaining human being was designed to operate at all.

I was left last night hoping in earnest that he will soon be restored to full working order.