On Tuesday I had an appointment with my solicitor in the early afternoon and of course I had my evening parade as is the norm for a Tuesday. I could not really spend the day `rolling` around Taunton in uniform and so I opted for `civvies`and would simply make my apologies to my CSM in the evening. I caught the bus over which is something that I do quite often now and made straight for the solicitors offices where, as normal, I was given a cuppa whilst I was waiting. The meeting went on for a little over one and a half hours and I left feeling very informed and aware of the procedures that would be happening and with a rough idea of the timescales, in short, knowing as much as the legal team. I will say that I am impressed with how `in the loop` my legal team keep me and so far would have no reason to not recommend them to anyone in need of legal help in relation to personal accident matters.
I had to go to a shop at the start of the main shopping area which would take me a good ten to fifteen minutes and so off I went to sort out the little task I had. I had called a fellow “wheelie” friend to see if he would be about on the Tuesday as I would go and see him and then head off to TA, he had said he would be about and to call him to make sure he was in. As time had ticked on I figured I would get some food before heading over to his place, it would mean that I would not need to cook anything for tea at half ten when I eventually got home, to that end I stopped in Subway. There were quite a few people in having food but there was still plenty of room so I went to the counter and ordered. With my order compete and paid for the guy asked if I wanted him to take my tray to the table, there were a couple of people waiting to be served and I don’t like for people to think that I can’t do things for myself, to have a guy come form behind the counter to put my tray on the table behind me which is only around five meters would look a bit daft and really would make me look like I was incapable of doing basic things for myself. Because of this I said that I would be fine but made sure I thanked him for his offer of help. I put the tray in my lap, turned around and pushed the few meters to the table.
Just before I reached the table my tray tipped and my full cup of freshly poured coffee fell in to my lap covering my legs and soaking my jumper. I heard a few youngsters sniggering about what had happened but I did not react, they are college students who are young and immature and I guess that it would look amusing to see someone cover their lower regions in boiling liquid if you were as immature as them. The two guys behind the counter though could not have reacted quicker. The pair came out from behind the counter and cleaned the table, floor and even pulled a large amount of blue roll off for me to mop up what I could from my clothing. Further more, before I had the opportunity to do anything, they had taken my tray from me and cleaned all of the spilt coffee from it and put a fresh coffee in front of me. They simply returned to the counter and continued to serve. I was actually quite taken aback by the pair and how quickly they not only cleaned up but that they actually gave a fresh cup to me without asking if I would like another. I would have paid for the fresh cup as it was not the guys fault that I spilt it but I am grateful for them simply getting another. For the simple case that I did not want to be looked at as needing that little bit of help I actually caused problems for the staff and caused myself a great deal of emabarassment.
I sat and ate my food and drank my coffee and after around twenty minutes since spilling my drink my legs started to tingle quite badly. I considered this to be a potential problem as the coffee was hot but I had not felt anything when I had spilt it, I figured it would be a good idea to go and get some new clothing from the shop and head to my friends place to get changed and check to see if I had burnt myself. I got to my friends place and used his bathroom to get myself undressed and to check for any burns. My legs were ok, `junior and the twins` were pretty red but there was no obvious damage caused by the hot liquid so I got in to my new clobber and had a coffee and a chat with my mate. So the food that I had bought for less than a fiver had consequently cost me £25 in new clothes, the embarassment factor with people sniggering at my misfortune in the Subway store and discomfort to `junior and the twins` until I had managed to get myself changed. So was it pride or stupidity that prevented me from accepting the help offered? Maybe you could think about what you would have done, I know now what I should have done but then I have done it several times before without assistance. Accidents do happen, I have seen able bodied people drop their trays for no apparent reason which can only be compared to what happened to my incident, one for the list of things not to do again I guess!
I have had some good news which has come about from talking to my friends Graham and `Pux` from the Royal Air Force who were on the Spitfire dig with Op Nightingale. I spoke to them with regards to my not being able to abseil and they have potentially been given permission for me to abseil from a mock up of the rear of a Chinook helicopter which is some 80 to 100 ft from the ground. We are arranging a date which is looking likely to be in November. There is a problem with getting to the `Chinook` as it is up several flights of stairs but we will sort out how to get up to it no doubt. It is not exactly as I wanted but may serve to show other venues that I have done abseiling and therefore allow me to overcome any stumbling blocks that may arise in the future. To that end, a massive thank you to Graham for sorting it out. I will obviously keep you updated.
‘Till next time.
Good evening all.