Four weeks ago the DJ at Sophie’s wedding played Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” and I was rock and rolling just as I did in the Corn Exchange in 1956.  Now in July 2000 walking to the market in Antibes was proving impossible.  Each low wall afforded a chance to rest but even so every muscle in my body ached and I was convinced that my system was about to pack up.

Michel, a Frenchman with a boat along the pontoon, got on his mobile and had a doctor on the boat within the hour and this was my introduction to the French medical service.  It was a Sunday; she was there promptly, gave me a thorough examination and then asked for 300Fr.  Michel then took Liz to Juan les Pins to get the prescription filled and they asked for 220Fr and this was recorded on the Doctor’s receipt so that I could reclaim it later.

So it was for the next two visits to other doctors.  Each charged 300Fr and came up with no clear diagnosis but prescribed anti inflammatory drugs which gave some relief.

The final doctor was determined to get to the bottom of things as we shall see.  With Liz in the consulting room he sent me behind a screen and told me to strip naked.  He listened to my heart, tapped my chest, raised and lowered all my limbs and told me to lie on my side.  Pulling on his latex gloves he said “Now I make the finger.  You understand?”

It was unseemly for Liz to laugh quite so loudly but the doctor got the joke which was lost on me.  

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