my mother was in hospital with a lump in her breast. nothing naughty, but the doc wanted to take it out anyway. they put her in a 4 bed side ward where she is all alone until a nurse brings in an old girl. “what you in for sweetheart ?” the little old lady asks my mother, who explains the deal. “not to worry” says the old girl “they are a lot better at this stuff now. 15 years ago they had to take my left ‘un off.” she then goes on to explain how she has had most of her stomache removed, had a toe amputated, & had lost various bits & pieces of herself during a rich & varied life. “found some lumps in the right ‘un now” she says “probably going to have to take it off same as the other.” the nurse returns & informs the old girl that they are going to unpack & get her settled in & draws the screens round the old girls bed. my mother hears the nurse exclaim “mrs rose, you havent brought a bra with you” to which the old girl cheerfully replies “well sweetheart, i didn’t think i’d have anything to take home in it” —— i’d like to think that it was this kind of spirit that pulled Hitler up short in France & made him go after the Russians before trying his luck invading this little island