I was surprised but very, very pleased, to get a pm from one of the lovely ladies that post regularly on GGB. We were discussing illness and remedies. Not surprising therefore that when I went up to my bedroom to continue making my models that I thought of these. By far the most painful is osteoarthritis [thank God it is not rheumatoid arthritis!] especially in my cervical spine [neck!!] The origin of this lies far in my past and were aggreveted by further trauma in later life. However, the origin of the cervical osteoarthritis is associated with Glasgow and my "lost love" Margaret.
It was Jan. 1951 and we were 'flittin' from Aberdeen to North Wales. We had made this journey for years, even during the war, as we spent our Summer hols there. We caught the fast Aberdeen - Glasgow train and changed at Perth to the Inverness - London express. This time I asked my Ma if we could carry on to Glasgow so that I could see Margaret. I was surprised when she agreed. Margaret too was surprised when we contacted her. The family lived in Steven Street at the time. But the first incident ocurred just outside Galsgow when the train came to a sharp stop turning the suitcase above my head into a 'bomb'. Why my Mother bought it I do not know. It was not rectangular but square so that no matter which way you placed it on the luggage rack about half of it overhung. [Later I was to discover that this caused a compression of one of my cervical discs.]. Feeling a bit dizzy I went out to the vestibule to get some fresh air but, as it was January my Mother insisted I wear my scarf. It was my school scarf and the colours were [wait for it] red, white and blue. The train had stopped near a local engine the cab of which was opposite the vestibule window which I had let down. I was surprised [and a wee bit terrified] when one of the occupants of the loco's cab began hurling huge chunks of coal at me!! I just could not understand why. When I told Margaret later she explained it to me. He must have been a Celtic supporter and mistaken me for one of the 'opposition'
When I look back on both incidents I ask myself "Why me?"