A Caring Andrew

Following my note on food I received a comment from an obviously caring guy concerned about my health (or possibly merely being sarcastic) saying "Have you checked your cholestrol [sic] level? It's probably higher than the Empire State Building. Just be careful." His blog is "Austinites" should you wish to learn about a dog lover, school returnee and new home-owner.

But the real point of this blog is that it reminded me of three things.

1) Americans can't spell, although I have not read enough of his blog as yet to see if that is why he is going back to school.

2) Many years ago in Britain, when they still had a car industry beyond TVR and Caterham, a colleague of mine had an early Austin Maxi. He left it in the street one evening only to find next morning that somebody had failed to notice it, big and ugly though it was. It therefore had a rear right wing buckled and his pride and joy had become an even more horrible sight than normal. So off it went to the Austin garage where over some considerable period it was eventually repaired, with him chasing them almost daily. I am not quite sure if they were irritated by his visits or not but when he got it back he proudly took me out to see the "perfect repair". I couldn't help laughing, this becoming even louder and more prolonged as I realised that he genuinely had not seen the minor spelling error. Where previously the chrome letters proudly spelt out Austin now they read Ausnit. I was well amused, particularly since "a bit of a nit" was a phase often used to comment on someone liable to miss the point.

3) I lived in Nilai in Malaysia for some time a few doors along from an American, married to a Filipina, as am I. When he went on his annual medical check up his wife went along, as I always ask Alice to accompany me. She seemed a bit put out during the doctor's later summing up, and after they returned home she came to see Alice and said "Why is the doctor blaming my food, it's good and fresh and why should it be blamed for his chloresterol levels". Alice got the story out from her and pointed out that the doctor was pleased that her husband's levels were reduced and he was boasting to the doctor that it was due to his wife's cooking. So it ended happily, but it could have caused days of sulks without the explanation!

You know, considering the immense length of time that I have lived, you would think that I would have some anecdotes that are rather more amusing, would you not?