Tuesday 7 April 2020

Invasion

I've been phoning my Uncle most days to check he is OK.

He's much fitter than me,  and is completely compis metis,   but he has no iternet, no answerphone and only turns his mobile on if he needs to use it.  Online shopping is not possible for him, so he is currently going out twice a week to get groceries.

I phoned yesterday, after realising it had been several days since I'd last phoned him.   There was a problem with the line.   I tried his mobile, straight to voicemail.   I tried many times over the next hour, and tried to find out how to get the line tested.

 In the old days you rang a particular number, and they checked the line for you.   Nowadays,  you have to phone your supplier.  I tried BT,  but there was a 45 minute wait.

In the end, I decided I'd have to go round there.

He wasn't in.

I phoned again, and this time his phone rang (typical!).  No answer.  I've got a key for emergencies, so I used it.   It felt really...invasive.  I called and knocked beore I went into any of the rooms,  I touched nothing.  I couldn't find him.

His car was in the garage.

I left a note on his doormat, and tried his neighbour.  His neighbour hadn't seen im for a few days, but hadn't been home herself.

I drove home.

Later, I tried again and this time he answered.

He hadn't been out, so he hadn't come back in and hadn't seen my note.

He'd been down the bottom of the garden and hadn't heard the phone.

Thank goodness he's OK!

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