I was at the seaside today. Blackpool and St Annes. Very pleasant, sunny, early Spring weather if a little cold. I was working unfortunately so no time for buckets or spades. Stopped and sat on a bench in Blackpool to eat my butty at lunchtime and was joined by two Glaswegian winos. They were personable enough if a little smelly and chronically foul mouthed but it was clearly their normal method of communication so I didn't feel the need to be offended. They were kind enough to offer me a swig of their Buckfast which I managed to politely decline.
I asked them how they had managed in the really cold weather and they filled me with horror by their matter-of-factness on the privations of sleeping rough in winter. Of course I allowed myself to be tapped up for a donation, hopeless cases I should think and I'm certain it would have gone on more booze before the day was out but jeez....sometimes I forget how lucky I am. They were clearly not lacking in education and spoke widely and interestingly on a variety of subjects while we passed a half hour on that bench. I wonder how they got there.
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