My Third London Job

Well, it took me a few months but I finally got a job in occupational therapy.  I took the job near the beginning of the year and I am still there as of the writing of this entry.  I am working at the Royal Hospital for Neurodisability and it is in Putney.  Putney is just southeast of the center of London’s urban sprawl.  It is in a borough called Wandsworth.  My first encounter with Wandsworth is from the line from the film: Love Actually.  (Yes, they still say ‘film’ here.  It has a certain charm, like their pull-chain toilets… those born after 1970 may not have had that pleasure… but have no fear, just visit London!)  

Those of you who know me through my wife know already know that she is a huge fan of Hugh Grant’s hair.  Who isn’t?  I mean, it is really nice hair!  Well… OK, maybe she has never actually said that she is a fan of his hair.  Maybe there is some other quality that she sees in him.  However, after having seen many of his films (I am pretty sure I would have escaped this pleasure had I not met her) I am thinking his hair is really his nicest feature.  I don’t mean to demean any of his other qualities.  His hair is that good.  If Jesus had Hugh Grant hair, I don’t think anything about the miracles and parables would have made it into the Bible...  But nothing tops the ‘Four Weddings and A Funeral’ Hair, and what was he thinking in ‘About A Boy’???  

My first encounter with Putney was when I stepped off of the train on my way to the job interview.  I walked a dozen meters or so down the main road and turned down the side street and my jaw dropped.  There were front gardens (what we Americans call front yards)… and they were green, you know grass, shrubs, small trees, a few flowers along the walk and against the house… and not just one:  Every house had a green front garden!   I was overcome with euphoria from the momentary break in tarmac (asphalt), brick, and concrete.  It was like when colour coming into Pleasantville.  (Wow, I am starting to scare myself with all of these film references.)  Those of you who have visited may have noticed the conspicuous lack of grass in the old neighbourhood.  The new one, although much improved, still lacks green front gardens.