The other day I had to have a medical in order for a life cover to be approved, to secure a bond. Quite a small bond, it has to be said. Who knew there were quite so many hoops to have to jump through? First comes the rather long phone call from the insurers, requiring a full medical history. It brought to memory things I had long forgotten.
Anyway, this info was passed on to the underwriter who obviously decided I needed the stress test (heart). This was probably due to me mentioning that sometimes an ectopic heart beat had been picked up. In short, a catch-up beat, or something like that, and nothing to be worried about.
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The stress test is overrated, the hardest part being to lie as still as possible, wondering why the doctor’s eye-brow is raised slightly, and the least fun part when the doc’s assistant gently rips off those small round pads.
I still don’t know if it will all come through, but by the time I was lying on the doctor’s bed with a needle in my arm, I began to wonder if we really needed to buy that small flat. Anyway, it was finally over and now it’s a time of wait and see.
It did however, get me thinking about my own mortality and how fleeting our stay on this planet is, or can be.
When I returned to the office after the medical I heard the awful news about the death of Jason Palmer in an accident in the Midlands.
He’s about my age. A life tragically cut short.
Since that accident, there have been increased calls to dramatically increase visible policing on our roads as there are just far too many accidents.
Prior to the medical I had been thinking about former Port Shepstone mayor Pauline Duncan, who died last week, aged 77.
She made an indelible mark through her service as a former mayor of Port Shepstone and in the numerous other roles she played.
There are two things I remember clearly, when I started at the Herald in 1996.
Readers may remember Iain Hush, former journalist at the Herald who left in 1999 and has since died. Well, when Pauline saw my surname she wrote us a letter. In it she asked: “Does this mean there will be a ‘swift silence’ at the Herald?”
I met her for the first time at a soccer event at the Marburg Sports Stadium. I think it was my first weekend on duty, or close to it. I was there to take photographs and she was there to hand out the trophies. While we waited for things to get going, she looked at me and said: “If you stick to it, you will enjoy a marvellous career filled with all kinds of interesting adventures.” That has certainly proven to be true.
Since that day, our paths crossed often, whether it was at council chambers, community events, the local supermarket or on a visit to our offices.
She always had words of encouragement, and occasionally some correction, always delivered with much grace. She will be missed.
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