Whilst I spent yesterday's 11am Silence at home on my own, two friends were on their way across London to my home for a recording session. Felicity was walking across Highbury Fields on her way to the tube station. Everyone stopped and stood in silence, busses stopped and traffic stopped - silence. Will was on a tube train travelling up on the Northern Line when the driver came on the intercom to announce the 3 minutes silence. The crowded tube car fell silent - all except for two Chinese women who continued yattering away loudly in Chinese totally unaware of the driver's request or the sudden silence all around them - Will tells me no one had the heart to tell them but just remained silent in their own thoughts - which in his case became a little jumbled!! :) (China, I hear, are one of the latest countries, to condemn the terrorists and express support). Afterwards, I heard a tearful caller to a radio talk show say that in her part of London the whole world stopped when the local school's loud whistle sounded. At the time her two cats had been scampering around her kitchen playing with each other. They suddenly stopped and sat completely still for three minutes. PaulC PS - thank you Sherelle - you are a big comfort to ME - my most soul-soothing Joni song? - 'Sisotowbell Lane' (Noah is fixing the pump in the rain)
