Quasimodo angle

This last few days I've been watching out for bells. Something with a tasteful sound, maybe one of those Swiss cow bells would do. Tell me if you see one. We need it because I'm getting deaf - when Edera calls me for lunch I can't hear her if the air-con is on upstairs - which it always is of course. So we need something that I can hear - one ring for "lunch is on the table" and two rings for "I'm going out now"

Actually she's also getting cross because I never hear her come home either. Like every other Japanese household we politely call out "tadaima" when we come back into the genkan and whoever is about to welcome us home calls out "okaeri" in cheerful reply. Lately I've been missing out and also missing the post lady when she comes too. Can't expect her to ring a cow bell but I solved the 'okaeri' angle by stacking two empty lemonade cans on the inside of the front door handle. Now when someone comes into the genkan they go clattering down onto the tiled floor which even I can't miss and I holler 'okaeri' at the top of my voice from upstairs. Makes the cats jump eh?

Talking of Quasimodo (which we were, kind of ...) did you know that after his death the bishop sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell ringer was needed. He decided that he would conduct the interviews himself and went up into the belfry to begin auditions. After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he had decided to call it a day.

Just then, an armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringer's job. The bishop coildn't believe it."You have no arms!". "No matter," said the man. "Watch this!" And he began striking the bells with his forehead, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon.

The bishop was sure that he had found the replacement for Quasimodo, but suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man tripped and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below.

The stunned bishop rushed down to his side. A crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before. As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of them asked, "Bishop, who was this man?".

"I don't know his name," the bishop sadly replied, "but his face rings a bell."

Oh! And that reminds me of yet another true story but it must wait until tomorrow ...