Writing yesterday’s blog was the hardest thing I have ever done – for so many reasons. I was reliving the trauma, I was afraid (naturally) that exposing the facts of that night would place me in harm’s way. I did not worry about whether or not I would be believed as I am in solid control of the truth and there is ample proof of the terrible misdeed. In harm’s way is an interesting phrase and shall be explored (immediately). It is a phrase: “If someone is put in harm’s way, they are caused to be in a dangerous situation.
Parenthetically to stay out of harm’s way is rather the antithesis: If someone or something is out of harm’s way, they are in a safe place away from danger or from the possibility of being damaged. For parents, it is an easy way of keeping their children entertained, or simply out of harm’s way.
But by speaking of the events of August 18, 2019, it just might be that I am staying out of harm’s way. The more public I become the less likely it is that I am going to be snuffed, or defenestrated. Again, I am laughing at my own humour. Snuff is a great word; extinguish, put out, douse, smother, choke, stamp out, blow out, quench, stub out, turn out, dampen, damp down. ANTONYMS light, igniteI, I do LOVE words, the Sultan with the Prinark Bag may be a poet, but I am a wordsmith. Such a couple – an incredibly handsome, good and gifted man with an older woman who is a wordsmith. An besides, I have a great sense of humour. That man also has a sense of humour I could tell! We did laugh together in our short conversation of last week and he did have the good taste to laugh at my jokes.
But to get back to my trauma and my present impressions – it is rather like I am thumbing my nose at evil. Thumbing one’s nose means to act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect. How can evil be anything other than an object of disrespect??? Even if I was not going to be defenestrated scaring an old lady is not exactly an act of humanity.
But the writing was so hard. It was planned – writing after breakfast was the assigned task. Breakfast helped in a very strange and wonderful way. At breakfast I met a charming young boy, a mere three years old. He spoke Spanish, Portuguese and English. He was less proficient in English but he was utterly amazing and so amusing.
Me: I live in San Francisco. Where do you live?
He: I live at home.
It makes me laugh just reading and writing that. I spoke to his mother at that moment and she told of his linguistic abilities, coupled with a fascinating fact. If languages are learned before the age of three than the brain’s neurotransmitters take a different form and it is, as if, every language is your first language. That is truly amazing. The time and effort that this little boy’s parents put into his upbringing is so admirable and filled me with such hope. I did need hope to be able to write of the evil that exists in this world. It was a magic infusion, actually.
So I went up to my room and did it, finishing at 11:59. But the magic continued. I got on the elevator to go to the lobby, the elevator stopped on floor 3 and a man, affectionately referred to as 101 got on. We had met the night before.
Me: My goodness it is you!
He: I lost your card and would not have been able to reach you!
Me: I just did one of the hardest things of my life and I so need a hug!
He: I am here to serve!
He gave me multiple hugs, I read an email to him, we exchanged data and he was off to King’s Cross Station. My goodness did I need those hugs. We just laughed at the improbability of us getting on the same elevator at the same time. Things began to seem wondrous.
Then I was sitting enjoying a celebratory glass of champagne. My wait person took a picture of me which was posted on Instagram with the following caption. “I wrote the most difficult piece of my entire life this morning. It will be posted on the blog soon. But I was rewarded! On the way down to my celebratory champagne the elevator stopped at floor three and a man of recent acquaintance gave me hugs galore. What a change encounter!! I needed those hugs!! “
But the magic did not end there. A couple, accompanied by an entire bottle of Champagne sat next to me. They were from the UK – had been married for a million years (wed at 19) and were at the hotel for a weekend away. To say the very least we hit if off – the woman said I was her soul sister. She was a younger and slightly less vulgar version of Alexis McBride. But the true miracle of this couple was the fact that they had two sons and one lived in Dubai and they visit Dubai constantly – beginning twenty years ago. We chatted and she will come to London when I am here for Christmas and, at some point, we will go to Dubai together. For me, Dubai is the New Malaysia. (I am so funny, just thought of that one). They went to get massages at the spa but I had to go there as well to exercise my knee. More chats and more fun. They left to go out to dinner.
Then – even more magic occurred. I began to speak with a man who was at the spa alone. He is amazing man with a fascinating life style and way of life. He is married with a three year old son but he and his wife have ‘time outs’ – they have a weekend on their own, occasionally one together as well. They breathe, relax, rest up and when they get back together they are so happy to be with one another. It is brilliant – in case you have not noticed – togetherness is not what it is cracked up to be. He is a business owner – what he does is similarly fascinating. He and his partner own Catsnake – Google it! It deals with story telling and promoting stories and films for charity. It is absolutely brilliant (as Brits say).
Later it was back to the bar where I made a transatlantic call to Personal Driver to ensure a pick up at SFO. We were so glad to be speaking to one another and I told him about meeting the Crown Prince of Dubai and shaking his hand, telling him that he was a Smart Sultan. Well….Personal Driver has also shaken the hand of the Crown Prince of Dubai. We laughed in sheer delight. Some grouchy woman came up to me saying:
She: Do you realize you are being loud?
Me: I do! I am loud and proud!
What a grouchy old hag, there was hardly anyone there at the time. I went to speak with her at the end of my telephone conversation but she was not there. Then a group of cheery people came and were loud. I congratulated them on their joviality and loudness.
In other words: Do not f**k with Ms. McBride. That was a slogan at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, I suddenly remember. You think some people would have learned that by now.
But the greatest compliment of the day came from Wise Man. He texted:
He: Good going. I am proud of how you are handling things.
Me: I could not have done it without you!
Praise from that man is like getting a million gold stars. And he did not even know everything!
Today is a lazy day. I soon go back to San Francisco and have a busy day tomorrow. The Car Boot Sale, friend Shabana and meeting Chris and Claire and their dogs at Battersea. Gotta rest up for those dogs. Hahahaha
Picture is the one taken with the celebratory champagne. Look there is a shadowy man in the background. Hmmmm.
