Dunedin, New Zealand, my city - my people

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Traditional Sunday night post.

I thought after my negative rant on Friday I should report to my readers. On Saturday morning I felt reasonably OK so I went in to the Church to help discuss and install a new screen for power points etc. and continue with still sorting the place out after Christmas Day dinner. I worked away there but as I did it became obvious to me that I was not OK. I had pains with physical exertion, I got hot easily and cold again and did not have much energy. When the job was done we came home again and I lay in bed.  Late afternoon I bit the bullet and decided to go to the doctor on duty at the medical centre. I struck a woman doctor whose listening skills and approached proved all my criticism of doctors in my last post wrong. She gave me antibiotics which seem to be working already. 
Just like old people..
My daughter led half the service this morning which meant I had an easier time. My wife and I went out for lunch then came home and went to bed. While we both had books to read, we ended up snoring happily for a lot of the afternoon.  It does not seem that long ago that if we were home alone and went to bed in the afternoon, it was not to sleep! But today we were old people, after a very busy and taxing week. It was blissful to be able to switch off and blob out. 
People are good.
At the end of each service we have a "plug time" where informal announcements are made. I spent sometime listing off in my mind people I wanted to thank for their help in the Christmas dinner. I began to feel a bit emotional. I could see in front of me so many people who had supported us in this venture. There is an elderly couple well into their eighties who turn up each year and during the week have volunteered for moving furniture and sorting things out. They tell me they will be there next year. I ended up giving a more general kind of "thank you". 
But some???
There was a big intimidating man who walked into the Church at the end of the service and wandered around looking at everything and talking to people. I had encountered him before and heard of him. He was asking for money and I suspect looking for anything, like a handbag to steal. I purposely kept an eye on him, and he noticed. I could see him checking me out from time to time to see if I was watching. He was actually offered food, but he turned it down. He took handfuls of some special christmas cookies we had out. He eventually left, but what do you do? I got a phone call last night, there's a woman with alcohol and drug issues back in town causing disruptions around Phoenix Lodge and Night Shelter. What do you do? They don't accept the help they most truly need. How do you protect others from them? Sometimes it would be easier not to know they exist.

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