Life At The Surgery

Life by the duck pond

You’ll find the Harp Surgery just across the green, beside the duck pond, in the sleepy English hamlet of Harpington, Harpfordshire. It sits amidst laurels, yews and privets, looking lovingly across to the village’s only hostelry, The Tickled Trout. As you’d expect, it boasts a thatched roof, a serpentine garden path, a well manicured garden and flagstones on the kitchen floor. The Surgery’s reputation, and indeed that of its proprietor the Good Doctor Wilfred Tootwell, has been fostered over many years, to the point that it now embraces a worldwide clientele. Nonetheless, many a harmonica pilgrim has dropped by for refreshment, enlightenment, and a quick wash and brush up of their favourite instrument. If you’re ever in the neighbourhood, do pop in for a ‘tuppa tea’.

Amidst the chronicles archived on this fine website, you will encounter many a moment of hilarity and japery; each scenario is a true snapshot of life by the duck pond. In time you’ll grow to recognise the characters who cross the Surgery’s threshold on a more regular basis. In no particular order and with thanks to directors, producers, family and all those that know them, here is a list of the misfits who can be seen hanging high sixes in the Trout’s beer garden of an evening:

• Otis Spam – Postman
• Our Monica (from up north) – housekeeper
• Greasy Rob – car mechanic and pub quiz master
• DJ JJ – internet radio blues hour presenter
• Shagpile Jim – carpet fitter
• The Rear Admiral – austere neighbour
• Barry Trubshaw – landlord of The Tickled Trout
• Fat Tone – takeaway Pizza manager
• Thin Tone – gardener
• Little Phil – Greasy Rob’s assistant