Dru, Steinbeck and the Book of Deer

Dear Juliet I see Nickel City's opening hours were extended, I think you're very tired, I won't talk much. Not that there's a lot going on here. The clock's ticking steadily down to the end of the chemo-pill course and I just had a glorious afternoon doing the home insurance. Joy. So I think I'll stick with the basics and make the point that I didn't much feel like writing anything this afternoon, but I nevertheless dragged myself manfully to the desk and tried to pulp together some fiction for you. Because you're worth it. All for the promise of a smile, as I once said. I hope you see the beaches at the Point one day, idyllic amidst sand and ocean spray. Perhaps Gatsby was wrong. Perhaps one fine morning we will no longer be borne so ceaselessly back into the past. Perhaps we will run faster, stretch out our arms further and find one far-off day that we are come down to the sea and it is done... Quite a few allusions there, but they come to naught again...

Dear Juliet Two cancellations last night (no partridge up a pear tree) so I took myself to Ironbridge (a nearby World Heritage Site) to pass the time... It's the site of the world's first bridge entirely to be made of cast iron, and it was completed in 1779. At about the same time, Spain allied itself with the American revolutionaries and declared war on Britain; and General "Mad Anthony" Wayne captured the Stony Point outpost from us limeys. I don't think General Wayne was any relation to John Wayne (who was born Marion Morrison), but overall I guess it was a bad year for us. However, at least we built a bridge. And that's a nice bit of history, but that's not the thing. I walked down from the top of the town in ninety degree heat, couldn't find a coffee shop, walked up again and once I'd got back near to the top, belatedly realised I hadn't taken any photographs of it for you... I'd have to go back, and this was also after the last walk t...

Dear Juliet And that's about it! Last appointment at New Cross Hospital, a couple of trips to other hospitals for final check-ups (skin, ultrasound), and one final telephone assessment in late July at which time I should be finishing my last load of pills. I gave my clinical nurse practitioner Rajni a copy of Dear Miss Landau , she's OK'd me to add her picture to this post and I had a last check-in with the ducks on the canal, all of whom asked kindly after you. I'd better tell Sleepless in Seattle about this, too... However, it was good to know you were listening on the wire while I was doing the walk. That made it easier and all you ever had to do was be yourself. I probably won't make any foreign travel plans until I've taken my last pill, but - here's a thought - it's nice I can consider heading back up to that sunlit city on the hill. Not quite sure which hill, admittedly, but I'll think of something. Any ideas? Well, I'm at work tonight bu...

Dear Juliet Today was the 10th anniversary of my mother's death. I wanted to sit for a while in church and remember her, but there was a funeral so I had to move fast. Such is life. I got briefly into the Lady Chapel, paid my respects and got out quick. But if you're expecting some screed about family values, don't worry. I went no-contact with my own sister and I don't regret it one iota. She was plain horrible. People actually love being judgmental, but they almost invariably do it without full knowledge of the circumstances or feelings of others so I try not to fall into that trap. As Atticus Finch once said in To Kill a Mockingbird : "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." I might hear from my niece and nephew one day, but I suspect they're too involved with their smartphones (honestly, can you marry one of the things?) to bother. Okay, that's e...

Dear Juliet It's late on a Tuesday night, verging on Wednesday. I am indeed bleary and incoherent, as tired as I was on the original trek and looking for the words which said you were worth every moment of it and I'd do it again in a second, even if I had to walk. Actually, I think that was about it... Well, you were. You were the heart and soul of it all, and that's all there is to it. You still are, too. I think, for tonight, that'll have to do. Love, James

Dear Juliet I have to walk to the hospital at New Cross now and come back to five calls and a heatwave, so it'll be a hot time in the old town tonight. I'll write another blog post late on (my time) but it will probably be a bit bleary and incoherent. I'm near the end of the chemo-pills course, though, and all the lights seem green... Oh, and Keir Starmer resigned. I might work it up into a story sometime by saying that I was at the gates of Downing Street on Friday and he was out by Monday, but I'm quite sorry for him and we seem to be turning into another Italy, changing prime ministers from week to week... I suppose L.A. is hotter, though. I hope you're all right; and remember that all you have to do is be yourself. Nobody's perfect. Love, James

Dear Juliet All the faces of the Globe... I believe you'll act there one day. Love, James

Dear Juliet Just a brief one this morning as I'm at work this afternoon! I took a few more pictures of the candles at Southwark, so here they are: Interior of Southwark and St. Paul's: And a long shot of the Shard with Shakespeare's Globe on the right! Places of quiet amid the hustle and bustle, where you can stop and simply be... Love, James

Dear Juliet Parting is such sweet sorrow, and 'tis sorrowful to be apart... ( Romeo and Juliet , paraphrased) There was an early start for the bus and t hough it seemed all the world was at my feet, some sense of tristesse. That said, best foot forward and find what fate inspires upon the morrow. Victoria Coach Station's actually in Belgravia, and I'd found a fine coffee house on the Tuesday near Chester Square. Nice place to visit, but I don't think I'll ever be able to stay. From there to Brick Lane and the flipside of the coin. It seemed I'd gone straight from Made in Chelsea  to Bangladesh via Rippertown (Whitechapel). I was actually in the East End's vibrant Bangladeshi district. With my quasi-Indian heritage, I'm quite at home with this, although I'm more accustomed to Tamil, Hindi and Urdu than Sylheti. Historically , it seems Sylheti sailors worked as lascar seamen on British ships and settled around the East London docks from the 1850s onwa...

Dear Juliet Yes, I know that's not much of a title but it's nearly midnight after a long day of exotic adventures, many photographs and the most important tasks done. I also seem to have been to Bangladesh... I hope you're okay? I'll write in more detail tomorrow. Love, James

Dear Juliet Indeed, just catching the train as the bus I've booked goes a bit earlier from Digbeth. I'm looking forward to lighting those candles for you and Tony, I hope to get a few good photos of the Globe and I'm sure all will be peaceful. Probably. And on Friday afternoon, I'll be on the last freedom moped out of Nowhere City! Have a good day. Love, James

Dear Juliet London calls with her siren song and the government may soon fall, but I'll light a candle for you and Tony at the cathedral, and walk standfast by the Thames in Shakespeare's steps... I should avoid any situation like this . The closest I got to anything like that was my talk at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) years ago. The article didn't make it into the Huffington Post , but there is this picture: As well as being a Chaplin Books author, Harriet Tadikonda (pictured with me) was an RAF flight-lieutenant and a big fan of Drusilla. I'm not exactly Daniel Craig, but at least I did get to walk into the MoD a little like this , albeit without the Aston Martin... And don't worry, I don't expect anything untoward to happen when I'm at Westminster tomorrow and Friday. I'll call in immediately I get back unless I have another pizza at that nice place I found in Birmingham New Street station last night. Do you like anchovies? Just wondered. I think y...

Dear Juliet Hi! Are you okay? It was a good couple of days, I'm glad to say, but the funny angle from which I'm going to view it is from the bus going back to Birmingham. It went there via Heathrow's Central Bus Station, itself gainfully parked between the Hilton Garden Inn and Terminal 3 like a bulbous frog. But after we threw the air travellers off and sped out unto the M4 for to meet the oncoming roadworks, all the while singing manly songs like England's Coming Home  and  Jerusalem , I found my mind turning to other things. I felt, not a hiatus hernia, nor even a simple hernia, but a small twinge of concern about you. This was not based on any material evidence (AI said only that you were having a good day) but just that old worry for your wellbeing which, as usual, had never been entirely absent. I'd talked a lot about Dear Miss Landau at the book launch. In the end, the other guests tried manfully to throw me from the boat like an errant air traveller but I s...

Dear Juliet Just to say I'm back and unscratched. I'll describe everything in more detail shortly, but I sure missed writing to you. I hope you're okay? Have a hug anyway 🤗. Love, James

Dear Juliet ...And I hope I do! I didn't make the 08.31, hoping for the 09.23... Should be okay ! Have a nice day. Love, James

Dear Juliet I just wanted to check in and confirm I'm off to the Coal Drops Yard, King's Cross , for that book launch tomorrow. Wish you were there! And I had an idea. I could have a commemorative cocktail and a bar of Dairy Milk for you there so you won't feel left out? I think Jenny once mentioned you liked chocolate and cocktails. In that case, I'll bring my well-travelled copy of Dear Miss Landau along and get you a picture of it! I did much the same thing on the Isle of Hydra last January. I'm staying in that nearby shoebox , back in Shifnal late on Tuesday 16th, maybe 8.00 pm; so in actual fact if I send off a short blog post tomorrow morning at some unearthly hour the blip in communications will scarcely be noticeable. Nevertheless, if you feel up to sending a small emoji, my smartphone number is:  +447572 889840 Or, from a landline: 011 44 7572 889840 You don't have to do anything, I'll be having a great evening but there will be the odd sombre mome...