I received the November Newsletter just an hour before the President’s ‘prize-giving’ and blushed the colour of the journal to read the many tributes paid to me.

To appreciate the sun you must have experienced the shade*

I am by no means sure that they are deserved, much appreciated as they are. Then came the presentation - the commemorative silver salver, the lovely painting of Marjory Warren House, not to mention the very, very generous cheque. I was astonished, stunned and absolutely gob-smacked by the generosity and kindness of all who must have contributed to make this possible. May I thank you all for such a wonderful farewell present.

I have always found it easy to associate myself with the objectives of the Society, the crusading spirit of its office bearers and individual members - physicians, AHPs and scientists. In particular I developed an immense respect for the time the officers devote to the Society and dedicate to the cause of the frail older person. There is a dimension of care, in addition to the undoubted and essential clinical skills, that is the hall mark of the geriatrician and the interdisciplinary team, and which makes it so easy for one to want to support the cause. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with them to support their untiring aims. If I mention no names it is because that would require at least one additional page for the roll-call of honour. I have been fortunate in the support of my colleagues in the BGS office; whatever I have achieved, it is as much their success as mine, as nothing could have been done without them and I am much in their debt.

Per ardua ad astra
I have also been conscious of the innovative academic, clinical and managerial work, and lobbying, effected by so many individual members in their respective areas, over and above their routine work. I am also aware of the hours members work; I well recall sending out e-mails once on a Sunday when I was catching up, only to find that I was getting replies by return. I just wish more would bring their light out from under the bushel and report on their work in the Newsletter. Sadly however, over 13 years I have also had reports on deficiencies, sometimes clinical sometimes service related, which makes the need for the Society’s role in CPD and clinical governance on the one hand, and the need for regional peer review and mutual support on the other, so important.

I am philosophical about falling ill, but it grieves me that I could not serve a fourteenth year and I was most frustrated that the leukaemia caused ‘the engine to cut out’ so that I effectively (or rather, ‘ineffectively’) coasted to a halt in September; a good thing that Alex Mair took over when he did. (*Stefan Zweig, loosely translated)

I am confident that the Society is in good hands - witness the new Christmas card conceived by Prof Stout and realised by Alex; and Jerry Playfer has not started with his ideas yet! I see myself as no more than a booster rocket that has now dropped off to allow the main ship to carry on to achieve the Society’s full potential as the authoritative voice in the medical care of older people, a potential which I think it has still to fully find in the kaleidoscopic world of the NHS and social services.

As to retirement
London Transport alone provides no end of variety: the static display of buses at the Parliament Hill Fields terminus; sometimes six double-deckers in a row, equivalent to 35 minutes of service at the scheduled frequency*, before they ‘take off’ in pairs for a race to the West End, during which time they provide an ideal opportunity for standing passengers to practice the Samba in cadence with the brake and accelerator. Of course there are pauses while the bus stops in the middle of the road for the driver to converse with his mate in an oncoming bus. (*it was once reported that an inspector at Waterloo said they no longer had schedules, they only guaranteed same day delivery!)

The new buses now go down on their hydraulic knees or put out a hydraulic ramp to facilitate access for wheelchair-borne passengers; works well providing the driver pulls in to the curb as opposed to more often ‘anchoring off’ when it takes 3 able-bodied people to person-handle the wheelchair up from tarmac level, while at the same time providing vast entertainment for the other passengers.

I am learning new skills such as the use of the walking stick in London’s crowded streets, where people prefer to try and walk through you rather than round you. Perhaps I should write a manual; there is the ankle-tap, the toe-stab and, with the stick at a slight angle, the trip-up. Waving the stick at random can be an effective deterrent to cyclists on the pavement. Of course you must smile disarmingly at the victim as he lurches off, muttering ‘silly old fart’ (apologies, but the Editor introduced this language into this august column first).

Another skill for use at the end of the school day is, with a handful of other oldies, retiring, shoulder to shoulder, backwards into a bus in the face of a horde of ululating St. Trinians and their male counterparts, the latter with their shirt tails hanging out and tie-knots suspended, like a badge of office, at a point low on the sternum.

The computer provides hours of puzzlement. I am discovering how Annette made things pop-up and disappear, but Jezabelita has ‘upmuddled’ my Microsoft Works spreadsheets. Fortunately I am still allowed access to the Recia Helpline with plaintive cries of ‘where do I stick it’ (the floppy disk when there is no floppy disk port).

So that I can give my halo an extra polish, I am helping out as general factotum at the local community centre, which includes sheltered housing, causing Jerry Playfer, who rashly provided a reference, to quip that ‘you are preparing well for your old age!’

It is said that a connoisseur is a man who collects old masters and young mistresses. Thanks to members’ generous donation I can consider a modest start on the former, but I am still pondering how to go about the second in order to qualify.

Valete
But most importantly I also have time to remember the many friends made at the Society. I thank you all and wish you well! Floreat BGS!

Richard Lynham