Things take on a more sombre tone. PD is on the phone. Al, our mutual gardener, has been to his house today & told him some bad news, only PD's not sure if he's understood it properly. Are we going to the Pub today as he wants to check on what has actually happened? We hadn't seriously thought about the Pub at this point but the news, if true, is dire indeed so we agree to go & meet PD there.
At the Pub we discover it is bad. Dave C, our friend & joiner who fitted our bedroom 18 months ago, is once more in hospital. Over the weekend he had a liver & kidney failure. He'd been in a coma for a while. The latest news from his wife is that he's out of the coma, but they're not sure how it will have affected his brain. Visitors are now allowed - it had been family only while he was in the coma. Now she hopes many of us will get in to stimulate his mind as much as possible, even if he doesn't seem too responsive.
When Dave came out of hospital last year, he said he didn't want to go into hospital again. He couldn't face it. It has been suggested he ought to go back to Manchester Infirmary where he ended up last year, but, in accordance with Dave's wishes, Linda has said don't bother, a brave decision on her part. Now we all just keep our fingers cross, pray & hope Dave's natural resilience will bounce him back to health.
As a side thought, I can't help thinking about the role of a village pub. These days so many villages are losing their pubs. This incident makes you realise what a valuable social role they have. As a central point for news this Pub is beyond price. It is to the Pub we go for the facts, a maybe a drink to get over the shock of it, & it's to the Pub that Linda, his wife, goes as a one stop visit to let the whole village & all his friends know what's happening. Where is to play that important role in society with the demise of the village pub, shop & post office?
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