Losing in winner-takes-all world

The ambulance arrived in ten minutes. The old man, his lungs destroyed by pneumatic spasms, was taken gingerly from his sick bed by two humane, good-humoured ambulance men.

The ambulance arrived in ten minutes. The old man, his lungs destroyed by pneumatic spasms, was taken gingerly from his sick bed by two humane, good-humoured ambulance men.

They reassured him that all would be fine, even though it was clear he was very ill.

Within minutes he was in the accident and emergency unit, where nurses and doctors hooked him up to drips, ventilators and administered antibiotics gently into his tired forearms.