Sliced half my finger off on Saturday cutting some plastic strips. Scaples are sharp! I was working on a shoot at Elstree Studios, and the closest hospital was in Barnett. The sound recordist volunteered to drive. On the way, he prepped me for the A and E experience. “I think the NHS is grand,” I said. “Shhhh. You’ll jinx it,” he replied.

Well, I do think the NHS is great. Remember, we don’t have free health care in America. Most people don’t go to the A and E there even if they are nearly flatlining. The debt would push them over the edge.

So, we get to Barnett, and we can’t find the hospital because it’s not signposted. We drive around for an hour asking directions, back tracking, banging on doors until we finally do find it. Then, we can’t find the A and E…another 15 minutes. No sooner do I plant my butt in a seat in the overly crowded waiting room, but the fire alam goes off. We stand huddled outside, the fire trucks arrive, and the nurse tells us it’s going to be a while before we can go back in as they are having trouble locating the source of the fire. My finger is numb.

I decide to hop the tube and head back into Central. I can hardly get on as it’s so crowded, I’m bleeding all over everybody, and I wonder why I didn’t take the bus. I get to UCL Hospital and wait. Half an hour later, a male nurse steri strips my finger back on (”you’re gonna lose that part anyway”), and Bob’s your uncle. I go to see Brokeback Mountain in Haymarket.

I still think free health care is great.