(Nurse) Daw Julie

A DEDICATION & A Huuuuuuuuuge Thank You to Nurse JULIE - You saved my Life at M.E.H.S., literally not figuratively! At the particular Softball game, being played at MEHS Sports Ground, being Short of Players we moved Right and Left Fielders closer to cover the three outfields and I being Centre Fielder moved to Shortstop. The Pitcher pitched, a fast ball, the batter struck the Ball it perfectly. The Ball came to me like a bullet, Head High, but a simple and straightforward Catch.

What I could not see was that the bat had splintered and was spinning directly behind the line of sight of the ball. Smack! - the Ball slapped into my Mitt and Whack! the Blunt or Club end of the Bat hit me on the head just in front of my Right Ear, opening it. If the Jagged end had hit I would not perhaps be telling you this story. Blood poured out and if its flow had not been staunched and if Nurse Julie who had actually done the stitching, because Dr. Subramaniam was not available in Hospital at Corner of York Road, had not done such a good job, the same as mentioned in the above-mentioned sentence may have been the outcome. One does not forget when one's life has been hanging by a thread, and one does not forget one's Saviours... and still have the Scar to 'never Forget the incident'.

Dr. (Miss) Rhoda Linton also recalls this incident, as I was in one of the lead roles in the Play "Our Town", which Miss Linton was Directing at the time, at B.A.T.S (Burma America Teenage Society or B.A.T.S.), ironic, as it was a BAT that almost killed me. What a coincidence - hence, the 'Bat' Incident, I carried the Dressing over my right ear from the Cradle to the Grave in through the three phases my Stage Lifetime, in that play. Dr. Rhoda Linton & I reminisced, talking about this situation, when we met at 2008 MEHS Reunion, in Bangkok.

God Bless You and thank you Nurse JULIE, again for what you did - Saving My Life!

With Deep Gratitude,
Cecil L.W. Wagstaff
MEHS G.C.E.Section,
Graduating Class - 1962
June 21, 2008