Had a lot of reaction to yesterday’s blog. And the previous day, if it comes to that. All positive and raising interesting issues. Well, interesting to me, for sure and yet again I can only apologise ( lawyers never usually apologise, they only regret… sorry really is the hardest word for anybody with a legal background ) that I can’t figure out a better way to respond.
When you send me an email then that’s easy ( or in the case of Isabella aged 94 shout over our garden fence ) or call me as some of you do, although if you do you’ve discovered what I said a long time ago that I rarely answer the phone and am always a little surprised that the call is for me. My sister-in-law Val had that experience yesterday morning and I think was a little surprised and flattered that I did engage in a bit of conversation with her.
The thing is that I feel so much more comfortable with pen in hand ( or computer or email on phone ) than I do in a real live conversation. When I used to go out to work and return after a day of meetings I could hardly speak anyway. And I think that’s when I started to avoid social calls at home. As my wife says MOB mood. Miserable old bugger. But, despite that I do love to hear from you so keep the comments coming. Jim in Thailand almost always comments, as does Andrea and my old school mate Roger. Just like the person who at a meeting raises at least two points under Any Other Business, I would be disappointed if you didn’t.
And thanks for your response to my invite to hear my talk on Thursday evening. The only bummer about that is that I was going to replicate a talk I’ve done twice before and thought I was in for an easy ride. But, so many people who have heard those, have indicated they will be tuning in, I have to pay tribute to that and prepare something new. If I am going to be perfectly honest ( another thing lawyers rarely are ) I am not great about preparing lectures. I do these sport law lectures at Loughborough University and go through from 6.30pm to 9.00 pm without notes and with a minimum of preparation. I am the Mike Leigh of Academia. It’s all a bit unscripted so let’s see what Thursday evening brings. It’s probably going to be as much a surprise to me as it will be to you. Mind you, I’ve just realized that I am up against Southampton v Arsenal on Sky Sports at 6.00pm ( will be well into the match by the time I start so I expect all the Arsenal fans to be a bit late. Unless they lose in which case I won’t expect them at all ) And then it’s Chelsea v Man City at 8.15 so I am hoping I can keep my audience until then. Otherwise it is going to be like a Spurs home match where they are irreversibly behind with half an hour to go and as the fans clank their seats up and file disconsolately out, the visiting fans will be chanting, “ They’re here, they’re there, they’re effing everywhere, Empty seats, empty seats. “ And don’t forget you are seen if you leave a zoom meeting early and if I spot you, then I know where you live.
I have to say that even I, who never watches the news, and who relies on the Irish newscaster on the Chris Evans show for info in her one minute bulletin, am a bit concerned at what seems to be the random lifting of restrictions. I thought all might become clear when Bojo spoke last night, but clarity and Bojo rarely go hand in hand. He was in full Tigger mode bouncing from one possible delight to another. And then the medical guys butted in an it seems to me from what I can gather that they said he was probably wrong. Bojo, wrong ? That will be a first.
But, meanwhile the Irish lady tells me there are spikes in Victoria, New South Wales, spikes in Germany ( and not just at the top of their old military uniforms ) spikes in China, spikes in Singapore and spikes in Leicester. I am not planning on visiting any of those but how do I know that somebody I meet on my one hour permitted exercise outside of my house, hasn’t been there? So many spikes and not a Milligan in sight. I loved the epitaph he wrote himself to be inscribed on his headstone, “ I told you I was ill.”
Not planning on writing my own epitaph yet, but wouldn’t mind some input into my obituary if any publication is planning on printing one. Maybe something along the lines of “ He came, be blogged, he conquered “ would be appropriate.
Predictably, there is also a spike in the States. Trump has opened up the country as well as his mouth and has earned himself a 15% spike. I know where I’d like to put the spike in his case. In the famous words of Corporal Jones in ‘ Dad’s Army ‘, “ they don’t like it up them “ Mind you I think he was fighting in the Sudan so even that probably isn’t politically correct now. Though the latest bit of PC lunacy may have passed you by as in New York ( that bastion of the liberal left ) they have removed the statue of Theodore Roosevelt ( not to be confused with the US President Roosevelt who as war-time President of the States from 1940 on wouldn’t allow the Jewish refugees from Germany into the country when in the early years of his Presidency they still had a chance of getting out) Seems Teddy, who was in the hot seat from 1901-09 has upset the current crop of Native Americans and Afro- American citizens as the depiction of the Black Americans ( can I say that ? Am getting really nervous about anything I write nowadays) and the Native Americans on the offending statue, has been deemed to be racist. Trump tweeted, “ Ridiculous, don’t do it, “ I think he meant don’t pull down the statue, but with Trump he could be speaking to himself as the advice, not to do it, could apply to anything he actually does. And then The Donald went on to say that those who wanted to pull down the statue of President Jackson in the South were bad people and didn’t love their country. Meanwhile he popped off to visit Jackson’s plantation where most of the workers were… you guessed it.. slaves.
I’ve just realized I’ve meandered for over eight hundred words ( that’s three more if I don’t type them numerically ) and have said almost nothing. I suppose that’s an art form in itself. Mind you I know people who can talk on the phone for over an hour and achieve the same result. That might be why I rarely answer the instrument. It’s not my wife, because she reads this before I publish ( wouldn’t you all love to see what she removes! ) And it’s none of you dear readers, of course. I want to keep you close to my bosom. What’s that line from Hamlet, “ Those friends that thou hast
And their adoption tried
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel “
Love it when I can throw in a bit of culture, which I do try to do every day and will also attempt on Thursday evening if you can tear yourself away from the footie.
So, now the headlines in the papers are getting back to normal. We are being warned about the forthcoming heat wave. Great. You survive the Big V and then die from heat exhaustion and dehydration. And you can’t hydrate because there is a water shortage coming.
Did anybody watch “ Perry Mason “ on Monday night by the way ? There is really no link there whatsoever. I missed my chance when I was talking about lawyers. I loved Raymond Burr in the role. It took him exactly fifty eight minutes each week to get the guilty party to confess. But now , in this prequel he’s not a lawyer yet. He’s a very seedy Private Investigator played by the excellent Matthew Rhys. I first came across him years ago in an excellent little film called “ Solomon and Gaenor “ all about a young Jewish tally-man (remember them ) in the Welsh valleys who falls for a nubile non-Jewish girl. Very moving art house film. And then he was Philip in the “ The Americans “ playing the all-American husband and father who was really a Russian spy planted many years earlier.
In Perry Mason, if he was anymore ruffled, creased or down-beat he’d get arrested just for leaving his house to walk the streets. It’s very LA, 20’s film noir, with him smoking his cigarettes, turning up his collar, huddling into his Homburg hat and walking the mean streets, For no good reason at all it reminded me of “ Johnny Staccato “ the John Cassavetes creation of the early 60’s. Anyway, very atmospheric and terrific tv.
I’ve still not mowed my lawn, but have now heard that from the week after next the gardeners are going to do the back as well as the front. So, if I can string it out till then I am off the hook.
Three zoom meetings today and Newcastle on tell tonight so am going to call it a day at this point. Have a good day and stay safe. If we are spared I will see you all tomorrow