I have loved some of the postings here. I don't have much which ranks anywhere on the dramatic scale of things. I was once able to keep a bloke conscious after a burst ulcer until the medics arrived. (That was very messy and didn't look or smell nice at all). Another time I was the first to react after a bloke got hit by a train and dragged him onto the platform and stuck around until the medics arrived. I still don't know what happened to him, although the medics told me he would probably live. Compared to what policemen or fire officers do every week, there is nothing too special about that. There are other incidents where I failed to act - and I am ashamed of those. On one occasion a drunken bully was crassly and outrageously insulting to an old woman on a tram. I was recovering from hepatitis but I still bridle at the thought that in a carriage full of cowards I failed as badly as everyone else.
      Last year I was rather fitter and intervened when two rude and arrogant young men jostled and threatened a woman. I was polite, but told them firmly that their behaviour was intimidating. Fortunately the incident ended without violence. I was ready to fight - but believe me - in no hurry to do so. It could just as easily have been my girlfriend that had been in that situation. I didn't really have much choice. A simple "Thank-you" from the woman left me with a warmth inside that made it more than worth the fright that I had felt.
       The one I am really proud of is the time that a struggling young busker (now quite a well known singer/songwriter) rang me up and said, "Alan - It's X. I am going back home because I can't cut it here." You probably think I am going to tell you about how I gave him a bed for the night, listened to his hard luck story and bought him a beer to cry into. I did nothing of the sort. I gave him the bollocking of a lifetime along the lines of, "You make me sick. You have all that talent and you are giving me all these excuses for failing...Look at those tramps! Anyone can do that. Failing is easy..
There are bars over there and over there. Bugger off and play them and don't bother coming back until you have made at least thirty Marks.You can buy me a beer in Manni's at eleven o'clock and if you haven't made your thirty Marks, don't bother meeting me there - cos I'll lock you out mate!"
       He was there early with a big bag of money and an even bigger grin. His confidence was back and he was up and fighting again. He still smiles when we recall that evening over twenty years ago. I feel good about that one.