Last man standing

We've lived in this area now for nearly a year and although we only lived 5 miles away for some 20 years before that, we are not fully up to speed with the local area, but I am nonetheless ashamed to admit to real Homer moment this afternoon. :( Maybe it's my age??

As we passed the Teddington Memorial Hospital, I had often wondered why it was called Teddington Memorial Hospital. Why not just Teddington Hospital? I had often speculated on what links they may have with an old military hospital or maybe an old army barracks.

So there I was, on the bus, having to stand right by the back doors due to usual late afternoon scrum-down with the screaming local school exodus, trying to occupy myself with something that would take my mind off the inane conversations that obvioulsy had to be shared with all of us, when it came to me. "Eureka!", I shared with myself in private....That'll be because there's a huge great war memorial right outside the front door!!

It was one of those moments. The Chesire Cat grin served only to silence the throng that surrounded me, almost as if they'd heard the explosion in my head. Silence turned to smirks and whispers of "Looney!", obvioulsy (...paranoid, me?). They couldn't possibly have heard? I only thought it! I didn't say it! Or was it because their racket was invading my head that they were indeed sharing my mind space?

Surely it was just the grin that did it! Oh my god, now they see I've got a camera. The boys covet. The girls look away in disgust. I want off the bus. Where's that Tower when you need it! I tell myself I'm comfortable in my skin and only another three stops and I'll be home.

Why is it, the stop before mine, eveyone piles out! Ok, I wasn't left alone, but hardly worth sitting down now....only one stop to go! I throw my head back in a sigh of relief and see me. That's my blip for tonght (another SP!), just moments after the blood had finally drained from my face. As I walkied in the door, I get normality and warmth. The dog, my boys, "Hi Dad! How was your day?" they say in a way you can only say to someone you love, "Great" I lied..."...just great".