The right place at the right time

Off to the dentist this morning, just a check up, although I am ever so slightly phobic about the whole dentist thing so a major event in my calendar, without trying to make it into one. All absolutely fine and no problems so felt very pleased as I left. I went on my own as I tend to get quite snappy when I am nervous and hubby suffers the wrath so as it was Valentines day, his treat was that he didn't have to come with me. I go to a surgery in Portishead which is quite a trek but they are so brilliant in there it really is worth the travel.

On the way back as the sun was peeking through I thought I would pay a visit to Backwell Lake, just a small spot but the swans there are great fun (at times a bit menacing) and with all the inclement weather of the last year we haven't got there for a walk around so today was the day. If luck was on my side I might even see the American woodduck, not native but he's been resident there for a few years now.

After a slight diversion I arrived there along with a few grey clouds and felt suitably under-impressed at my choice of venue. I sat for a few minutes watching the birds and then noticed a gentleman wandering out towards the viewing edge, thinking better of the walk as the ground looked wet I was ready to go when I realised the gentleman had disappeared out of my view and it meant he had fallen. Change of plan, hopping out of car and round to where he was he had manged to go full length on the slippiest mud/duck muck combination I have EVER tried to walk on and his head found the only flippin concrete bit for yards.

There was another guy there with, I presume, his grandson and he was commenting on goodness knows what... of course I hadn't taken my phone so asked him if he could kindly phone for an ambulance, while introducing myself to 'Gerald' lying on the floor. Don't know what first Aid the other guy had been on but he got a sharp reminder to PHONE the ambulance NOW please, yes our elderly chap might have been chatting to me as he laid out on the floor, but with an egg sized cut on the back of his head and my coat now wrapped around his head I wasn't waiting any longer. He did stay coherent thankfully and the ambulance crew arrived in no time, congratulating my decision not to move him, as the Ambulanceman slid down the bank!!! It was a careful effort to get him up and into the back of the ambulance but I just kept thinking about the possibility of all that happening with no one there to help. And I most certainly won't be going out without my mobile again.

It turned out he had driven down on his own from Bristol as he hadn't visited around here for years. He was soon going to be celebrating his 90th birthday !!!! Bless him, he wasn't going to be driving home on his own today.

I can sometimes be quite a strong believer in fate, but then how can that be organised for everyone, predestined and all that. Most days I can't organise my to do list properly never mind billions of interactions all over the planet. But with that in mind I am pleased I was there today to be part of making sure the gentleman was safe and hopefully by now back at home being looked after by friends or family.

Suns shining, blue skies, maybe time for a walk .....