Paul Workman: Locked down in London, Day 18

POLITICS

Paul Workman: Locked down in London, Day 18

Paul Workman Chief International Correspondent, CTV National News

Published Friday, April 10, 2020 2:29PM EDT Last Updated Friday, April 10, 2020 2:45PM EDT

Text:

LONDON, U.K. -- Let us call upon the late and great Johnny Cash for some motivation on this Good Friday under lockdown. He was a man who knew a lot about confinement, and dealing with the anguish of it.

I’m stuck in Fulsom Prison

And time keeps draggin’ on

And let us remember the original meaning of lockdown: the confining of prisoners to their cells, typically in order to regain and control a riot.

For the first time in our history, it’s being applied on a global scale to control a pandemic. Sing it Johnny!

I hear that train a comin’ it’s rollin’ round the bend

And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when

We saw the sunshine in London, England today. We saw many joggers in The Regents Park. (Some are still spitting.) We saw dogs rolling in the grass. We saw a duck standing on a metre-high tree trunk—on one leg. (Sorry no photo. Not fast enough.)

Back by popular demand.
— Paul Workman (@PaulCTV)

Complete coverage at CTVNews.ca/Coronavirus
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, delighted that his son the prime minister is out of intensive care—perhaps the most famous coronavirus patient in the world.

“To use that American expression,” Stanley told the BBC, “He almost took one for the team.”

For days, 10 Downing Street had been telling the world Boris remained “in good spirits,” in spite of his health scare. Last night, when the prime minister was moved out of ICU, Downing Street noted he was in “extremely” good spirits.

Moving on here, let’s talk about eggs for a moment, and then we’ll talk about Harry. Keeping it light today.

Our latest report on greedy panic buying reveals that the British “shelled out” a whopping £88 million on fresh eggs ($158 million Canadian) as they stockpiled for the lockdown. We’ve now learned how much toilet paper, baked beans, and fresh eggs they bought.

There was even a report—to be read with a healthy dose of skepticism—that some people were re-selling eggs for £1 each. That would make for a very expensive full English breakfast.

On to Harry then. Not the wayward British Prince who gave up on Canada to go surfing in Malibu. I’m talking about Harry the bell.

Harry is the oldest bell at Canterbury Cathedral—named after its seventeenth century donor, Prior Henry of Eastry (for those who care about these things.)

Anyway, Harry is now being rung every night at 8 p.m. in remembrance of those who perished from COVID-19. In keeping with physical distancing, the bell will be on a timer. No ringers needed.

Okay, so this is really a grab bag of trivia. Feel free to go off and make some lockdown bread or work on a jigsaw puzzle.

Unless of course, you want to hear how much the people of France love the Queen of England. Her speech last week—with simultaneous translation—was carried live on three French networks and pulled an audience of 2.3 million viewers.

The country’s leading royal expert was so moved by it, he described the Queen as a kind of “mater dolorosa,” which in Biblical terms means roughly, sorrowful mother.

“I found her very elegant,” he added. “She is like a rock in a storm.”

What would you like to hear about next?

How about the 10 people who flew from Britain to France in a private jet for a little holiday on the French Riviera. Helicopters were waiting to whiz them from Marseille to Cannes. Except, French police were not impressed, and ordered them to fly back to the U.K.

Doesn’t that make you feel good about the world, at least briefly?

On that note, let’s maybe end this Good Friday lockdown with a quick photo essay. Indulge me. It’s been another terrible week for much of the world.

Goodbye Day 18. Hello 19.

Paul Workman