“And a Merry Christmas to you Guv.”

The words sounded familiar but were out of context and dripping with sarcasm.

I had just arrived in London for my annual visit to the Medical Defence Union’s (MDU) head office. I was at that time, the secretary in Australia and ran the MDU’s activities in this part of the world.

It was the month of May and spring had sprung. I paid the London cab driver the amount on his meter but forgot to give him a tip. Hence — “And a Merry Christmas to you Guv,” was his salvo.