Urban isolation. On Tuesday, on arrival at the Big Smoke, I found that the junior daughter had no working computer and both TVs on the blink. Last day ofTest Match-how to find out the score. In swinging Palmers Green both internet cafes out of contact (mouse stolen in one case)-and Library closed. Rang up a friend in Hutton-the only one who had any idea about Cricket. He could not help as was recording the final session and did not want to know the score. I was in turmoil until his daughter ring me secretly-dad snoozing and she volunteered to find the answer with the TV in silent mode. I told her about Ceefax Page 342-she read it but being a total non cricket nut could not understand the words and numbers on the screen-muttered something about 27 overs. I asked to switch to 341-the match description but she found it hard to fathom but I gathered England was in a desperate situation. I sweated for three hours until I kicked one of the TVs into life and found a news broadcast-phew! a brilliant draw-the series was ours and civilisation saved for a few more days at any rate.
