when all around you never had any to lose

Today, at the top end of the High Street, a passing tourist-codger tripped over the box a blue-painted human statue had placed in front of the box he was just getting into position on. Though a codger, the codger seemed unharmed by the incident (which was fortunate as my initial reaction had been to snurfle lightly) but most noticeable about the incident was that the blue-painted human statue whose box of coins was responsible was extremely slow to react and seemed somewhat lacking in concern, waiting several seconds before even moving in the direction of the codger and then only hopping slightly forward as his concern for his unshod blue-painted foot was evidently far greater than the person he had inconvenienced. Obviously anyone walking along the street at this time of year knows to expect to have to take steps to evade the accoutrements and flailings of perform-O-cocks* but if such a performer causes physical inconvenience to a passing member of their potential audience you think they'd show a little concern rather than hanging back in case they smeared the paint off their foot on the wet pavement.

EcoDad treated us to a nice cake and tea at lunchtime before a little lunchtime trundle up to Cliché Street. Apart from the blokes wearing oilskins just wandering about singing what sounded like sea-songs there wasn't anything much deserving the amount of attention each was getting. It's all still interesting to watch but often quite dispiriting. Even the people just wandering about flyering disappointed, mostly because they don't yet seem able to work out when someone is quite clearly just going to walk past them without acknowledging their presence unless they overstep the line and cause a physical impediment. I've not picked up a flyer for four years and am hardly going to break this habit this year, especially as I no longer have to walk home through Bristo Square each day.

*Likewise I know that to wander anywhere near the town centre is to elicit exposure to concentrated cockery on the parts of both the attention-grabbers and attention-grabbees, but I'm still allowed to gripe about it because of the poor quality of both.