Had to go to see the doctor this morning, at St Giles Surgery. It’s two practices in one building, so you have to make sure you go to the right window in order to be seen. The same receptionists work for both practices, so one of them will tell you to go to the other window, then come over and serve you there; a staple of many comedy sketches about bureaucracy.
However, after seeing me, they forgot me. I was sat there like a lemon for two hours, before I went up and asked if I was still being seen. I should have seen the nurse first; they forgot. Still, I saw the doctor two and a half hours after getting there. Patients must have patience.
After I left I dropped in at Tadim to have one of their ‘Turkish pizzas’; every time I go there, I ask what is the correct name, and every time, they tell me. And every time, I forget.
Tadim’s motto is “love all and serve all”. We should extend that to the whole of Camberwell, but I get the feeling we would have to add a number of exceptions and clarifications to it to please everyone.
I walked past the Church Street Hotel, struggling to emerge from its chrysalis. The big Marbella sign is gone. I’m curious to see what the tapas restaurant will look like; in its former incarnation too many tables were hidden from view, so even when half-full it could seem empty. I hope they will rectify this.
I bought a copy of the Camberwell Quarterly (which I will pick apart shortly) and walked up to Denmark Hill station. The Dark Horse was empty, but it was only mid-day so I wouldn’t expect it to be otherwise.
I felt quite positive.