Synchronicity ?

 

I haven't started to paint yet well not physically. I have a commission to do and have been thinking about that. I have gone for two options and have mentally painted both, still not sure. On the day I will pick up a paint brush and decide.

 

Yesterday I did the post about Legionella. Well considering only about 350 people a year catch it in the UK out of a population of 63million (and most of those catch it abroad), what are the chances that two brothers catch it separately?

 

 In the 1970's we used to do a lot of motorcycling. We would ride all over Europe in all weathers on our bikes having many "adventures", spills and thrills. Yes in those days we could pack our clothes bedding tent and food on the back of a Triumph Daytona. Nowadays we need 5 suitcases to go to the beach. Above is a photo of my brother above with Alex camping in early February in Nurburgring.

 

Anyway I am digressing from my story. My brother shown above is a bit of an adventurer and wanderer in many and all senses. Many years ago around this time he was offered a job lecturing in the University in Tunisia.

He got on his bike with his girlfriend at the time and rode across Europe and caught the Ferry to Tunisia. I think at first the  accommodation of floor, holes in walls and bucket for waste were accepted as interestingly "authentic".  He was less than enamoured however by the needless filth. Food and sewage were thrown onto the street to encourage the flies and disease. All food was covered in flies and meat was generally rotting.  What became even more of a problem was obtaining his pay. After 3 months he had received half a months salary. After 6 months things came to a head he had not been paid his money and was now feeling distinctly poorly. They decided to leave, loaded the BMW 750 and rode to the port. The Immigration Officers would not let him out as he worked for the Government even though they weren't paying him. He had to get the British Consul to come down and get him through. Then the Customs wouldn't let him take his own BMW out  of the country. In the end he had to bribe them with what money he had left to get on the ferry with his motorcycle. All this time he was suffering from a high temperature.

 

Somehow he managed to ride back to the  UK where he was admitted to Dudley Road Hospital with Legionaires Disease. The delay in treatment affected him badly and he was in hospital for 6 weeks.

At one point he was found having walked out of the hospital stark naked wandering down Dudley Road. He still has recurring problems as a result of the disease. If it turns out as suspected that I have the same bacterial pneumonia it will have been quite a coincidence but at least I had the good fortune to be living in Wales with an excellent National Health Service. Incidentally whilst I am sure Tunisia is now a far different place to then I doubt my brother would take the opportunity to return for any money.

 

Link I thought this was kind of appropriate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ZfGd3zbvw