Norbert
By Norbie
Chapters from the life of a young man with the world against him.
- 515 reads
Norbert
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Chapter 1 When Needs Must A few weeks ago I fell victim to the worst kind of love. You may stumble over the pronunciation, but they call it...
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- 644 reads
Thief in the Night
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Norbert Chapter 2 Thief in the Night I might not know much about burglary, but proper thieves obviously leave nothing to chance. I am therefore...
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- 519 reads
An Unexpected Aftermath
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Norbert Chapter 3 An Unexpected Aftermath I didn’t get to bed till 3am, and now I’ve woken up with an even gippier tummy, nervous about what to...
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- 470 reads
Naughty Daydream
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Norbert Chapter 4 Naughty Daydream Before reaching my dingy, windowless laboratory (which is hidden away at the far end of the ante natal clinic,...
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- 404 reads
Prick Clinic
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Norbert Chapter 5 Prick Clinic My only piece of technical wizardry is a haemoglobinometer, a photo-electric colorimeter which (as the long word...
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- 402 reads
The Reason Why
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Norbert Chapter 6 The Reason Why Finally, the woman I’ve gone to all this trouble for, the love of my life, walks in. On her first visit two months...
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- 319 reads
Rounds
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Norbert Chapter 7 Rounds I start my rounds immediately after clinic and before lunch, but as instructed I head for Auntie’s office first, excuses at...
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- 267 reads
Nunky
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Norbert Chapter 8 Nunky When Nunky comes into my bedroom and sits in the chair, clutching Barry Pigwart-Potter and the Philanderers Store by J.K...
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- 602 reads
Not What I Expected
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Norbert Chapter 9 Not What I Expected When I arrive at work at 8.15am, Florence and the midwife with little buzzies are fighting in the corridor. ‘...
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- 320 reads
Life Sucks
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10 Life Sucks Florence appears in the lab as soon as afternoon clinic is over. She’s changed her uniform and her hair is once again pulled back in a...
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- 335 reads
I knock on death's door, but no one answers
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Norbert 11 I knock on Death's Door, but no one answers I miss Auntie at breakfast because I have to be at work early to commit suicide. I make a mug...
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- 373 reads
A Lesson in Poo
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Norbert 12 A Lesson in Poo We have to wait for Botcher John to manhandle a huge great cardboard box on a wheelie trolley out of the lift before we...
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- 342 reads
An Unexpected Offer
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Norbert 13 An Unexpected Offer We sit on opposite sides of the table and gnaw our way through rump steak and chips. It’s a bit noisy as four porters...
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- 363 reads
I Save Another Life and Nunky Shines
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Norbert 14 I Save Another Life and Nunky Shines My interview is scheduled for a month after the inspection. I tell Auntie I have to attend a training...
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- 308 reads
Final Day Blues
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Norbert 15 Final Day Blues My biggest fear about leaving St Kylie’s is the restocking of my emergency first aid kit. You see, it is difficult to...
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- 367 reads
At Least One Cloud has a Silver Lining
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Norbert 16 At Least One Cloud has a Silver Lining I take a week of annual leave in-between jobs to make sure Nunky fully understands the situation...
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- 361 reads
First Day Blues
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Norbert 17 First Day Blues Baldy Warnetires-Skidmore is tall and wiry and has a pronounced stoop, like the weight of the world lies heavy on his...
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- 311 reads
The Long Stand
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Norbert 18 The Long Stand Before I go any further, let me explain how the naming system works. England may not be the oldest civilized country on...
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- 370 reads
A Happy Reunion
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Norbert 19 A Happy Reunion I’ve been given a room on the top floor of the Nurse’s Home, which doesn’t sit well with my vertigo, and it’s cramped,...
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- 317 reads
Foultongue
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Norbert 20 Foultongue The two hour overlap between shifts when more people are on duty covers the busy period when most of the GP work arrives...
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- 338 reads
The Good News is I Don't Have Asthma
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Norbert 21 The Good News is I Don’t Have Asthma The second I walk into my room, Nunky sees the distress on my face. ‘What on earth has happened, mi...
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- 364 reads
Comeuppance
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Norbert 22 Comeuppance Isabel Wringing-Lowd has hazel coloured eyes with long dark lashes, beneath eyebrows shaped like perfect commas turned...
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- 606 reads
Far Outpatients
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Norbert Chapter 23 Far Outpatients I take the stairs down to C floor. (Enid only tolerates my presence in the lift if other people are in it, though...
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- 407 reads
Needle in the Bone
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Norbert Chapter 24 Needle in the Bone Warnetires-Skidmore vouches for me and I am released, forty minutes late for my appointment. I approach...
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- 396 reads
The Haunted House that Became Our Home
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Norbert Chapter 25 The Haunted House that Became Our Home I telephone Nunky every day at noon to make sure he is still alive. The one thing we have...
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- 356 reads
A New Babby
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Norbert Chapter 26 A New Babby Do you remember the confusion that arose in Brundy over the two women named Florence? Well, we have two girls in...
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- 426 reads
The Fisherman's Friend
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Norbert Chapter 27 The Fisherman's Friend I immediately alert switchboard. They call Security. The guard on duty hears the baby crying and finds...
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- 409 reads
A Man's Best Friend
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Norbert Chapter 28 A Man’s Best Friend We visit the kennels on Saturday afternoon. The Unloved Dog’s Home for Rejects it says over the gates. It’s a...
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- 336 reads
The Secret to Successful Dog Training is Firmness
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Norbert Chapter 29 The Secret to Successful Dog Training is Firmness The high iron gates close automatically behind us, exactly like being released...
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- 353 reads
Cut and Shut
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Norbert Chapter 30 Cut and Shut Isabel answers the phone at 08.20. ‘Haematology. The gorgeous and desirable Miss Wringing-Lowd speaking. How may I...
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- 312 reads
Give a Dog a Bone
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Norbert Chapter 31 Give a Dog a Bone When on days, I walk Weggie first thing in the morning. When I’m on a late, we both take him out for a longer...
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- 337 reads
A Stroll in the Park
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Norbert Chapter 32 A Stroll in the Park There must be a scientific word or phrase for it. You know, when things happen which remind you of past...
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- 378 reads
Lunch Club
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Norbert Chapter 33 Lunch Club Once a year Nunky’s Lunch Club holds a summer Bring and Buy sale to raise funds. Friends and relatives are invited to...
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- 258 reads
A Star is Born
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Norbert Chapter 34 A Star is Born On the day of the Bring and Buy sale I still have no idea what form of entertainment Nunky is planning. If he’s...
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- 216 reads
Ice Cream and Japanese Don't Mix
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Norbert Chapter 35 Ice Cream and Japanese Don’t Mix After Nunky’s performance at Lunch Club, I have no more trouble from the cleaners. On my next on-...
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- 286 reads
Flyball
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Norbert Chapter 36 Flyball GT comes up to me at work the next day and places a friendly arm round my shoulder. ‘Norbie, my favourite drone. I want...
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- 260 reads
My First Kiss
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Norbert Chapter 37 My First Kiss First thing on Monday morning, before he’s even buttoned up his lab coat, GT storms up to me and points an accusing...
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- 300 reads
Beer Mat Violence
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Norbert Chapter 38 Beer Mat Violence Two weeks after the darts match, Nunky asked if we could go to Healer Dai’s local pub again “to thank him for...
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- 230 reads
Squeaky Ball
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Norbert Chapter 39 Squeaky Ball I enter the house after our evening walk and hang Weggie’s lead on the hatstand, which no longer contains hats. We’re...
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- 263 reads
I Move into Management
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Norbert Chapter 40 I Move into Management The following week GT gets some more bad news. ‘This has just appeared on the noticeboard,’ says Dora Mae...
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- 293 reads
Pre Season Training
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Norbert Chapter 41 Pre Season Training I invite my seven players to attend a meeting at break time the following afternoon when both early and late...
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- 228 reads
Pre Match Preparation
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Norbert Chapter 42 Pre Match Preparation Clothilda Church-Pugh approaches me in the lab Monday morning. ‘Are you Norbie?’ ‘Yes,’ I say through...
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- 218 reads
Match of the Day
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Norbert Chapter 43 Match of the Day The match is to be played on a cut down version of the football field outside the hospital sports club on Sunday...
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- 227 reads
It's a Game of Two Halves
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Norbert Chapter 44 It’s a Game of Two Halves Two minutes after the interval, at six – two, the amorous midfielder’s passions get the better of him...
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- 284 reads
Dancing in the Dark
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Norbert Chapter 45 Dancing in the Dark Nunky, with his tall debonair looks, has become a widow magnet at the afternoon tea dances at the Palais. One...
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- 227 reads
The Storm
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Norbert Chapter 46 The Storm The wind picks up around midnight, lashing the seafront with twenty-foot waves, which boom over the sea defences and...
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- 195 reads
Panic Time
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Norbert Chapter 47 Panic Time I knock on the nearest door. A woman drying a plate with a tea towel answers. I ask her to call the emergency services...
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- 235 reads
The Power of the Press
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Norbert Chapter 48 The Power of the Press It is amazing how quickly flood water disperses once it stops raining, especially when it has less than a...
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- 240 reads
Psychiatry for Dogs
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Norbert Chapter 49 Psychiatry for Dogs When I arrive at work next morning, GT is purple in the face and close to apoplexy. Baldy appears in his...
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- 282 reads
The Quiz
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Norbert Chapter 50 The Quiz The social club is bursting at the seams. Every seat is taken and people are pressed up against the walls. The queue at...
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- 252 reads
Once Upun a Time
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Norbert Chapter 51 Once Upun a Time I approach Matron during the interval. ‘Excuse me, ma’am, but how many songs do you intend to sing at the end? I...
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- 240 reads
Starry Starry Night
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Norbert Chapter 52 Starry Starry Night We are now 22 – 14 down. Rube is leaning dreamily over our table, gazing into Dora Mae Blimp’s cleavage. ‘How...
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- 217 reads