I hate injections, always have. Even as a kid, when it was vaccination day at the doctors, they always made my mum bring my brother and me for the last appointment. Because my screaming would tend to upset the other kids. And I’d arrive screaming, and wouldn’t stop until a lollypop was in my mouth on the way home. Those were the days, re-usable syringes (with ‘needles’ the size of a water pipe!) and endless sugar.

I still hate injections but at the moment I take all I can get. I’m due my ‘booster’ covid and my old person’s annual flu jab. The legendary ‘one in each arm’ scenario. I wish I had more arms. Then I could have more jabs. I don’t normally suffer with ‘octopus envy’ but just think how many vaccines they could have. And I no longer scream. Not externally anyway, just on the inside.

It’s strange how we grow up and adapt. Because when I was a kid I also hated all green (or white, purple or any other colour) vegetables except peas and runner beans. Now I eat all of them, love most of them, just never bother with aubergines or courgettes. Not because they’re French words so much as slimy, tasteless and bring less than nothing to the party.

I hated books. Readin’ was fine, but only things I absolutely HAD to read. Never for pleasure. Only comics. DC comics in particular, never Marvel. I could relate totally to Superman; he was sent over from planet Krypton as a baby in a space rocket and could fly faster than a plane, pick up an entire train and stop trucks with one finger. I was born in ‘ackney, moved to Ilford when I was a baby and couldn’t do any of that shit. Quite an amazing coincidence when you think about it.

And I hated Arsenal. Some things never change.

Ok, tomorrow is Yom Kippur, the ‘day of atonement’ or, in modern parlance ‘Judgment Day!!!!’, even though its not really. It’s a day of fasting, but I’m still so full of Greece that really shouldn’t be a problem, I stocked up for several fast days/weeks over there. It’s also a day of introspection and improvement. So I have to prepare. Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, totally. It starts tonight at 7 and finishes tomorrow night at 8. During which time I shall be one with the angels. Rather than off with the fairies, as I normally spend my time.

May your spirit be as cleansed as your stomach is empty,

A xxxx