18 November 2011

I got a baby's brain and an old man's heart took eighteen years to get this far


You know some times you just feel...safe and content? At the moment I feel like that. It's taken a long time to feel like this again. In fact, happened very rarely in my life.

Mycroft's here, there's a very heavy dog drooling slightly on one of my feet, Danger's sprawled over my other leg, Sherlock's drawing something on the floor next to another dog. It's just a sea of calm and contentedness and dogs in our living room.

Mycroft asked about the case earlier. Assured me I could talk about it if it would help. Often hard to remember he's the teenager.

They've been doing a lot of things at school, about talking about your problems. Sensible, I suppose, given they're all suddenly living together and away from home and all that.

So... Don't read this bit if you don't want. 


But I won't say anything graphic. As with most cases involving children, it's not a stranger that's committed this crime. And the original investigation made some serious errors. In my view, those errors were unforgivable. However, it was - is - a difficult case. The child's body wasn't found for some time - was concealed, in fact, by members of the family. So it's not...oh, whatever I say sounds callous or too gruesome to tell you. You can all imagine what I mean.

The report was hard enough to read. Visiting the pathologist yesterday, seeing the body...it's just something that's hard to deal with no matter how long you've been in the job, or how many bodies you've seen. The combination of factors... Anyway, talking to John yesterday afterward helped. Baking with Sherlock was a brilliant distraction - as are all of you, and the silly comments here, and Lestallion. It really does all help to pull me out of myself, move from work to home, be a nicer person to be around, I hope. So...well, yeah, thanks to you all. Thanks to Sherlock. Thanks to John, especially, for letting me fill his head with thoughts he doesn't need to be having, and for making it okay for me not to hold it all together for a few minutes, and react like a human, not like a police officer. Taken a while, but because of his patience and understanding and caring I do feel safe telling him most things, and letting my emotions show.



Now onto today's question. - I'm sorry, I'm sure someone asked me this, but I can't find the comment. So shout out if it was you. (And please, ask more questions! We're only just over halfway through the month!)
So, paraphrased, it was something like 'What are some of your favourite places in London.'






Well, presuming 'this sofa, right now' isn't a very good answer, here are two other ones.

Firstly, and you'll probably all laugh, given 'Back To The Fuschia' - Columbia Road. It's just a little street, few decent shops, delis, cafes, non-descript.

Until Sunday. Early on a Sunday there's the clank of stalls, the chatter of people, the sounds of barrow boys setting up, shouting out, and the smells...because every Sunday there's the flower and plant market. And it's brilliant.









And secondly, this place. It's a bombed out church, right in the heart of the City. But it's an oasis of calm. It's so lovely, and you'd never know it was there. You can just sit there and look at how nature's busy reclaiming the place. And then, through the gaps and the missing windows you can see the glass and steel of the modern buildings which are packed around it.
It's amazing.






So there you go. Two quite different places. Both wonderful, in their own way.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry about the case, Lestrade. I know it's not easy dealing with that kind of thing, but I'm glad you have John and the boys.

Those places look amazing! Where is that church located? I'll be going to London in January and I think it would be amazing to visit! If you don't mind sharing, that is!

Small Hobbit said...

As piplover says I'm sorry about the case, but very glad that John has given you the opportunity to react like a human being and not feel that you have to hold it all together all the time.

And thank you for answering another of my questions and choosing two lovely places. Three really because I will completely accept 'this sofa, right now'.

John H. D. Watson said...

This sofa's pretty good. The church does look amazing though.

Greg Lestrade said...

Piplover - I was going for selfishly keeping it a secret. But it's actually quite famous, so I'm just being silly really.

It's on St Dunstan's Hill, in the City. It really is very special. Avoid weekday lunchtimes - people go there to eat their lunch. Try weekends or mornings/evenings. Much quieter.

SH - Sorry, I couldn't remember who asked! It was a good question, thanks.

Danger - sofa is good now. I'll take you to the church sometime. It is beautiful.

Anon Without A Name said...

That church looks fantastic. There's a bombed out church in Plymouth, that is now in the middle of a roundabout. It's not salubrious, or quiet, or even easily reachable, stuck in the middle of Charles Cross, right on the main road into Plymouth; but there's something about the fact that it's just there, not demolished, not overbuilt with glass and concrete. it's just there, a very clear statement of one part of the city's past.

I wish you didn't have such a horrible, terrible case - but I'm (selfishly) very glad that someone like you has it, someone who will find the answers, and keeps going through the awfulness. I'm so glad that you have John and the boys keeping you on an even keel, and helping you get through.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Lestrade!

I'm traveling with my family, so I think I'll be in desperate need of a little peace and quiet!

Desert Wanderer said...

I'm sorry the case is so terrible. But, like Nameless, I'm selfishly glad for the child and the rest of the family that they have such a champion fighting for them. It's never a good feeling when someone in your profession makes heinous mistakes, especially when they're about things that really matter.

Enjoy the cozy night. Sounds perfect, and y'all certainly deserve it.

Becca said...

I'm glad you have people to go home to, especially with a case like this.

I have been to that flower market and it is wonderful!

Anon Without A Name said...

Pip - If you're in the Bloomsbury area, you could try St Georges Gardens. It's a garden/park that was created from really old graveyards (no, wait, it's better than it sounds!) by the Victorians, who decided that the poor needed open spaces to enjoy. You're best off not poking around the back of the graves near the walls - or check what you step on if you do - but the whole place actually has an air of calm and peace.

We stumbled across the place by complete accident one day when we were wandering around on a lovely spring day. well worth a visit if you're in the area.

Greg Lestrade said...

Thanks all of you.

Becca - it's one of the things I didn't know I needed until I had it. It is far nicer coming home to a busy flat and warmth and love and Danger :)

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