Touched by a bum.
Whenever you choose to sit on the street-side of a restaurant in London, you put yourself out there for contact with the more residentially challenged members of the London community. More often than not they are in such a bad way, you can't understand what they are saying, and find yourself leaning protectively over your bag/your food for fear of stealing/soiling.
Tonight, however, Sacha and I were sitting outside a restaurant in Angel, and were approached by the sweetest homeless person I have ever encountered in my time here. He happened to walk up just as I was injecting my insulin, and after stopping in mid sentence to gather his composure (with a small nod and the words "ahh, insulin"), he proceeded to make me a flower out of one of the pieces of wire he was hauling around, while giving a story of the spiritual origins of the shapes he was making. And he was truly humbled with the £2 I gave him. Ahhhh, bless! (Maybe I'm just a sucker)
The only other story I have about homeless people being charming in London also took place in Angel. I was walking out of Sainsbury's with a 12-roll bag of loo paper and some groceries. He asked me for money: I said no. Then, as I turned the corner, I heard him shouting after me: "At least give me some of yer bog roll then!". I chuckled to myself and kept on walking.
Dad/Scotty, can you remember that guy who came up to us in Angel in 2000 with the guitar? I remember he said something really funny, which became our catch-phrase for a while but I can't remember what it was. Answers in the comments box, first to get it gets a chocolate fish.
Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of bad encounters with homeless people in London - like the man who was "relieving his kidney problem" in our garden at 6am and the man who shouted at me outside Costcutter when I had the audacity to buy him a chocolate bar. But those stories are for another time.
Tonight, however, Sacha and I were sitting outside a restaurant in Angel, and were approached by the sweetest homeless person I have ever encountered in my time here. He happened to walk up just as I was injecting my insulin, and after stopping in mid sentence to gather his composure (with a small nod and the words "ahh, insulin"), he proceeded to make me a flower out of one of the pieces of wire he was hauling around, while giving a story of the spiritual origins of the shapes he was making. And he was truly humbled with the £2 I gave him. Ahhhh, bless! (Maybe I'm just a sucker)
The only other story I have about homeless people being charming in London also took place in Angel. I was walking out of Sainsbury's with a 12-roll bag of loo paper and some groceries. He asked me for money: I said no. Then, as I turned the corner, I heard him shouting after me: "At least give me some of yer bog roll then!". I chuckled to myself and kept on walking.
Dad/Scotty, can you remember that guy who came up to us in Angel in 2000 with the guitar? I remember he said something really funny, which became our catch-phrase for a while but I can't remember what it was. Answers in the comments box, first to get it gets a chocolate fish.
Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of bad encounters with homeless people in London - like the man who was "relieving his kidney problem" in our garden at 6am and the man who shouted at me outside Costcutter when I had the audacity to buy him a chocolate bar. But those stories are for another time.
posted by Nic at 5:47 am
2 Comments:
Was he a good ole country bum then? Hey guys, am having a BLAST in Croatia. The weather is ab fab! Haven't found any spicy wings yet but I have had lots of red snapper! Have a wucked time at your party this week. Have a drink for me! B. xx
Well, there's been a silence from both my bro and my Dad, so if this keeps up, B - the choccy fish is yours. Glad you're having a great time - I've been checking your blog too! x
Post a Comment
<< Home