Simon

As the RNLI has cropped up again, here is Bill Bryson’s quote: “I had never really stopped to consider what an extraordinary thing the Royal National Lifeboat Institution is. Think about it. A troubled ship calls for help, and eight people – teachers, plumbers, the guy who runs the pub – drop everything and put to sea, whatever the weather, asking no questions, imperilling their own lives, to try to help strangers. Is there anything more brave and noble than that?” I very rarely cry, which is a pity. As an adult I can count on the fingers of one hand the no. of times. I was watching the Netflix documentary on the Costa Concordia. A middle aged member of the crew was walking along a corridor. As the ship was on its side he was walking on doors, one of which swung open. He fell a considerable distance, breaking his leg. He could do nothing but wait & hope. Two days later rescue divers, still thinking the effort worthwhile, entered the ship at great peril to themselves. Surfacing, they found him. ‘What’s your name?’ ‘Mario’ ‘I’m Francesco. Don’t worry. You’re safe now’. He cried telling this story years later. I cried too.