answers?”
“There’s a thing called the Glasgow Coma Scale and I’ve only got basic medical training, but we once had a gillie on the estate who fell down a river bank and suffered a head injury…” Bull interrupted.
“One story at a time Sherlock,” he exclaimed.
Andrew waited patently, his lips pursed and his hands clasped resting on his legs, until Bull settled down. He continued his story.
“Anyway, after much persuasion, he agreed to let me go in his place...”
“Who did?” interrupted Bull, “the wounded gillie or your Uncle?”
“My Uncle,” replied Andrew through gritted teeth.
“So you’re uncle was the gillie?”
“No, my uncle wasn’t a gillie, that was another story I mentioned to explain the concept of coma.” Bull laughed.
“Alright, I’m with you now.” Andrew stared soberly at Bull. He said,
“So I set off with some meagre rations - a bottle of drinking water and a Tunnock’s tea cake. I had just turned eighteen but I was as fit as I am now, although much slighter of frame back then. My Grandfather used to say that I had the physique of a traveller’s dog: all ribs and cock.”
Bull’s eyes opened wide. He said,
“I don’t really know how to react to that last statement.”
“My journey took me through bushes, thickets and all sorts of hazardous vegetation. At one point I thought I was never going to make it.”
Finally, Bull heard a hint of emotion in Andrew’s crackling voice. He sat upright waiting for the flood gates to open. Andrew was inspired by Bull’s display of eagerness and proceeded to add a bit more sensation to his voice.
“Well I decided that I needed to be strong. After my uncle’s accident, everyone was relying on me. Even at that tender young age, I was already showing leadership qualities well beyond my years. It was a matter of practicalities you see.”
“So what happened next?” asked Bull eager for him to continue the story.
“Well, I came across some locals but not surprisingly they appeared to be hostile – I had stories about this part of the world. One of them even threw a projectile at me! I feared for my safety, so I decided to run and stay well clear of them. I wasn’t going to get any help there. I was pretty much left on my own, without a map or even a compass. The terrain was disorientating and the suppressive heat and humidity were combining to sap my energy levels. Nevertheless, I persevered and eventually reached civilisation where finally I managed to get help. Suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration, I stumbled upon a phone box and one hour later, I returned with an ambulance, the Essex police and the Royal Coast Guard.” Bull’s face dropped as if consumed by gravity. He sighed,
“What do you mean a phone box, the police and the Coast Guard? Were they in the jungle looking for you?” Andrew said,
“I never said I was in the jungle. It was a hot summer’s day and we capsized off Canvey Island. It was the hottest day on record at the time. It was one hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was unbelievable. The incident made the Canvey Island Echo …” Bull held up his hand and said,
“It was hardly an ordeal, more of an accident involving you going for help. What about all your tales of the hostile locals?”
“Have you ever been to Canvey Island? It’s not the type of place strangers ask directions, especially if all you are wearing is thigh length khaki shorts, knee length socks and a pair of blue deck plimsolls.”
“Yes, I do know Canvey Island. It’s not even an island, sorry, was even an island. It was a peninsula before the floods, so once again Sherlock, what exactly is the point to your story? I hope there was a reason behind this long winded fable?”
“Well I believe that even at a young age, I showed good leadership skills during a time of emergency. I was an officer in the Territorial Army, I was Captain…” Bull raised his finger and stretching over
“There’s a thing called the Glasgow Coma Scale and I’ve only got basic medical training, but we once had a gillie on the estate who fell down a river bank and suffered a head injury…” Bull interrupted.
“One story at a time Sherlock,” he exclaimed.
Andrew waited patently, his lips pursed and his hands clasped resting on his legs, until Bull settled down. He continued his story.
“Anyway, after much persuasion, he agreed to let me go in his place...”
“Who did?” interrupted Bull, “the wounded gillie or your Uncle?”
“My Uncle,” replied Andrew through gritted teeth.
“So you’re uncle was the gillie?”
“No, my uncle wasn’t a gillie, that was another story I mentioned to explain the concept of coma.” Bull laughed.
“Alright, I’m with you now.” Andrew stared soberly at Bull. He said,
“So I set off with some meagre rations - a bottle of drinking water and a Tunnock’s tea cake. I had just turned eighteen but I was as fit as I am now, although much slighter of frame back then. My Grandfather used to say that I had the physique of a traveller’s dog: all ribs and cock.”
Bull’s eyes opened wide. He said,
“I don’t really know how to react to that last statement.”
“My journey took me through bushes, thickets and all sorts of hazardous vegetation. At one point I thought I was never going to make it.”
Finally, Bull heard a hint of emotion in Andrew’s crackling voice. He sat upright waiting for the flood gates to open. Andrew was inspired by Bull’s display of eagerness and proceeded to add a bit more sensation to his voice.
“Well I decided that I needed to be strong. After my uncle’s accident, everyone was relying on me. Even at that tender young age, I was already showing leadership qualities well beyond my years. It was a matter of practicalities you see.”
“So what happened next?” asked Bull eager for him to continue the story.
“Well, I came across some locals but not surprisingly they appeared to be hostile – I had stories about this part of the world. One of them even threw a projectile at me! I feared for my safety, so I decided to run and stay well clear of them. I wasn’t going to get any help there. I was pretty much left on my own, without a map or even a compass. The terrain was disorientating and the suppressive heat and humidity were combining to sap my energy levels. Nevertheless, I persevered and eventually reached civilisation where finally I managed to get help. Suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration, I stumbled upon a phone box and one hour later, I returned with an ambulance, the Essex police and the Royal Coast Guard.” Bull’s face dropped as if consumed by gravity. He sighed,
“What do you mean a phone box, the police and the Coast Guard? Were they in the jungle looking for you?” Andrew said,
“I never said I was in the jungle. It was a hot summer’s day and we capsized off Canvey Island. It was the hottest day on record at the time. It was one hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity was unbelievable. The incident made the Canvey Island Echo …” Bull held up his hand and said,
“It was hardly an ordeal, more of an accident involving you going for help. What about all your tales of the hostile locals?”
“Have you ever been to Canvey Island? It’s not the type of place strangers ask directions, especially if all you are wearing is thigh length khaki shorts, knee length socks and a pair of blue deck plimsolls.”
“Yes, I do know Canvey Island. It’s not even an island, sorry, was even an island. It was a peninsula before the floods, so once again Sherlock, what exactly is the point to your story? I hope there was a reason behind this long winded fable?”
“Well I believe that even at a young age, I showed good leadership skills during a time of emergency. I was an officer in the Territorial Army, I was Captain…” Bull raised his finger and stretching over
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