Friday 19 February 2021

The Friday Joke and some very good news

 It's Friday and I'm feeling positively elated. I had my covid jab this morning. Perhaps the only upside of having Prostate cancer is that at 58 years of age, I jumped the queue! I am grateful to the wonderful NHS, who are doing a brilliant job. I had it in Edgware at the Lane End medical centre. It was well organised. I had the Pfizer vaccine. You have to wait 15 minutes to ensure no bad reaction. There were dozens there when I had it, not a bad reaction in sight. I took a picture and Tweeted it out, as I wanted to get the message out that there is nothing to be worried about. I had it at 8.33 and its now 12.33 with no reaction at all.

I just wanted to share that. 

As for the Friday joke, I want to tell you a true story. My Uncle Harry was very much a larger than life character. He lived in Southport in Lancashire and he was the Mayor at some point in the 1960's. Harry was a member of the magic circle and a natural entertainer. He was one of the genuinely most popular people I ever met. I once was returning from France and was wearing a Manchester City top. At the bar was a chap in a Liverpool top. We got talking football. He commented that it was unusual to speak to a non Mancunian City fan (this was before the Oil billions arrived and City were pretty rubbish). I asked what part of Liverpool he came from, as we have links with the area. He said he wasn't actually a Scouser. He said he was from Southport. I said "My Uncle Harry was the Mayor, he was a great guy, a member of the magic circle". The guy looked stunned. He said "Did he have children called Paul and Elaine", to which I replied yes. He said "Harry was our next door neighbour, Paul is my best friend!". He told me a hilarious story. 

Harry had to open some sort of civic function or event, he'd always invite a bunch of friends and children, so the crowds were friendly. Unlike many politicians, he was great value for money as a public speaker. As well as his friends, the great and good turned up from all over the region. Harry loved an audience and knew how to work one. He listed the great and good from the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Party in attendence. He then said "In politics, it is always better when we work together to get things done. I have always worked with people from all of the Parties. In fact, not many people know this, but I've actually written jokes for Edward Heath (Tory Leader), Harold Wilson (Labour Prime Minister) and Jeremy Thorpe (Liberal Leader) for when they make public appearances" Everyone looked mightily impressed. Harry, with expert timing then delivered the punch line "Who knows, one day they might even use one!". Everyone cracked up and a few suggested that they might be more popular if they did.

Have a great weekend.

.

No comments: