Our great city is awash with curious stories about interesting people. The Dame is in one of her reminiscing moods so thought this little vignette would interest readers.
Not long ago the Dame was having her 1960 Mercedes Benz sports car serviced.
 |
| The Dame in better days |
Whilst her loyal chauffeur was attended to the technical details the Dame enjoyed a chat with the garage owner, a delightful and amusing Indian gentleman.
Anyway, in course of conversation the Dame’s amusing raconteur
said, “ Dame, do you realise you are talking to the last man ever to see Albert Speer alive?”
The Dame, puzzled, asked how it was that a ‘garagiste’ would have known the awful Herr Speer.
“Well, Dame, it was like this. At one point in my life, before the motor trade, I was a junior doctor at St Mary’s Paddington. I remember that day in early September 1981 so clearly.....
I was the only A&E doctor on duty when Speer was wheeled in suffering from a brain clot. He was in London to be interviewed by the BBC.
All I remember of Speer was the anger as he fought death: not a nice man".
The Dame is clearly in her dotage. The Hornet's days are numbered.
ReplyDeleteThis a fascinating story, Dame. Can you identify the young doctor(as he was then)....oh, and ignore Wasp....a very unhappy fella
ReplyDeleteWhy is this Wasp so rude about the dear old Dame. She has every right to indulge herself in her memories: it's what the elderly do. We all get fed up with Wasp and his moaning so zip it up and happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a fascinating story and I hope other readers might share interesting stories of our wonderful town.keep up the good work, dearest Dame.
Wasps are regarded as nasty insects - the same applies to this 'Wasp'.. sad, very sad...indeed... they are often swiftly exterminated....
ReplyDeleteStay out of sight Badger. If I see you I will sting you.
DeleteA curious story. One had no idea Speer was ever in London.
ReplyDeleteAs for Wasp, he should take a happy pill. The Dame is a great lady of the old school. She deserves our thanks for her many good works and our best wishes for the new year.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRelated to bed loss at St Mary's and the Chelsea and Westminster hospitals ...
DeleteThe NW London Imeplementation Business Case (IMBC) for Shaping a Healthier Future - https://www.healthiernorthwestlondon.nhs.uk/documents/implementation-business-case-imbc - says in a statement related to outer NW London hospitals "will reduce demand for acute beds by 364 by 2025/26" (from p7 Exec Sum). The earlier draft talked about "500 beds" in total to be lost. Simple arithmetic leads to the question: Does this mean the loss in inner NW London will be (in the region of) 136 beds? We have to wait until the next iteration of the IMBC to find out the detail.