Ever since Diana died and Britain poured out its heart in flowers on the street, public mourning in Europe has taken on a new dimension. The Dutch sniggered at us then but have since done the same for one of their politicians who was shot dead a couple of years ago and now for their beloved, unknown star singer, André Haas, who died last week. The Arena Stadium, usually used for football matches and pop concerts, was packed for his memorial service - for which he was present, in the box. His weeping widow and sweet young children sat through a concert of several hours - televised to the nation and watched by 5 million people (virtually a third of the Netherlands' population). It dragged on all evening on TV. We had it on but with the sound off so the sombre mood wouldn't seep in to our living room. Culmination was the spectacle of André-in-the-box being wheeled around the vast stadium in front of waving, clapping, weeping fans. The concert was free, which accounts for the large numbers of people but not for the river of tears.
After that, they wheeled the coffin off and stored it somewhere overnight. The actual funeral was the next day.
Why am I talking about this? I've just had a phone call from Bud, sounding a bit confused and telling me that the diabetic husband of one of his students died yesterday. Bud has diabetes; so did André Haas. So it's a bit of a shock and I think he's getting that 'too close for comfort' feeling. But he's fine and his condition has actually improved over the last couple of years. You wouldn't notice anything. Chinese medicine and the right diet can do a lot for you. Of course, he does notice because he can no longer do three jobs at once like he used to do.
Trained in accupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and massage, he's helped many people with aches, pains and chronic conditions over the years. The last two evenings, he's given me a massage and it really does help.
2 comments:
False alarm. The student's husband did have diabetes but actually died in a car crash on the way to Morocco... Poor chap.
False alarm for Bud, I meant, not for the guy who died. What was he doing driving to Morocco from Amsterdam? Hundreds, probably thousands, of first and second generation Moroccans living here do that every summer, driving down through France and the east coast of Spain. It's a hazardous journey on winding, twisting mountainous roads. Spain is a very mountainous country and has a horrendous road death record. Having said that, we cruised to Barcelona and back this summer without a hitch. Lucky, you could say
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