pumpkinstrokemarrow

I seem to remember that when I was about 15 we used to read books like 'Coming of Age in Samoa' and have earnest and solemn discussions about the strange goings among the strange peoples on on the far side of the world. I also remember that in those far off days when we used to make boilers and ships and things, that there used to be quite boisterous rites of passages for apprentices learning about such things much closer to home, albeit up north. A bit later, one moved onto Lévi-Strauss, when the story changed but the earnest and solemn discussions did not.

All of which has now been put into perspective by my own rite of passage into senior citizenship. It turns out that there are three parts to this rite, all now completed in my case. First you get your pension, second you get your free bus pass (called a wrinkly in this part of England) and third you get to visit the endoscopy unit - from which I exhibit the wrist band, suitably redacted in the interests of data protection.

We celebrated with a visit to the Salvation Army Community Centre at CB1 2BD (http://www.camsa.org.uk/Centre/TheCentre.aspx), where for the modest sum of £3.25 I had what they called a small breakfast, complete with toast and tea. Given that the small breakfast involved sausage, bacon, egg, beans, mushroom and tomato, I am not sure that I would have managed a large breakfast. It was also equipped with plenty of people fully up for nattering, scrabble or whatever. A good facility.

PS: I ought to say that the endoscopy unit was not nearly as bad as it sounded. An excellent bit of medical technology which, for a bit of grief in the short term, can save a lot of grief in the long term. Be bold and use it!