Mixed Lot

Thanks to Julian I reached a massive high this week.  Not that Julian is a drug dealer but in fact a purveyor of digital scales for weighing scrap gold, jewellery, etc. 

'You are just a pinhead in a desert' he told me after three minutes of us meeting 'You are a beggar.'
Picture the scene: on Tuesday we were sitting on the back of a Ford Transit van at Kempton Park with the wind and the rain howling down upon us.  Our antique stock, laid out carefully that morning, had been soaked through and we were freezing cold (not helped by the fact that I had mistakenly taken Beth's coat instead of my own).  Kempton Park is one of the best antique fairs in the country and we had put a great deal of planning into stalling there (well for us at least) but the weather was against us.  That it was the fair at Ardingley that day too (and half-term) meant that buyers were few and far between.  I needed to take a lot of money given recent events but it became clear as we approached midday (having left home at 2am) that was simply not going to happen.  Just as we contemplated packing up and going home, and in the midst of defeat at Bannockburn, along came Julian.
Julian is (according to Julian) well known on the antique circuit as he trawls round with his shopping trolley selling digital scales to dealers, '£15 to you, young sir.'
His opening line was a good one because it's been a while since I was called 'young' but then Julian was clearly nearly eighty and everything seems fresh as a daisy when you are that age.  His timing was good too because I lost my scales recently and had been looking to replace them.  After some old style negotiation (and bearing in mind I was going home having made a loss) we settled on £11 and I took possession of my new scales.  At that point one would normally expect to say thank you and goodbye but Julian was not done with me.
'Look at us' his voice raised with political intent 'Look at us in this field, scraping a living whilst the bankers make all the money.  Let me give you some advice son: don't play into the hands of the banks.  Rise up with the people.  Rise up and be free.  We are not important.  Do you realise that we are in the hands of the American Mafia?  They control the banks and politicians.  You are just a pinhead in a desert.  You are a beggar.  That is what you do. You rely on people giving you money.'
'They haven't given me much money today.'
'This is no life for us, we must be free!'
As if the day could not get any worse I listened to Julian's lecture and could do nothing but try to contain my amusement (difficult as the friend sitting to my right was chortling away at my discomfort).  Julian's eyes were fiercely bright and passionate.  He grasped my arm and implored me to join his socialist banner and, in appeasement to an old mad man, I nodded allegiance.  I didn't mention my adoration of Saint Margaret Hilda...
He reminded me of an old woman who used to come and see us at Covent Garden.  She would bring her carrier bag from which she would produce 'the finest pearls' for sale (which had actually been nicked from Next that morning and had the label removed).  One classic was a crocodile skin handbag that she offered my colleague 'That's not crocodile skin' the old woman was told 'What would you know child' the old woman responded 'You are not from Africa, as I am!'
Julian lifted my spirits because these are the characters that make what we do so culturally rich and diverse. We laughed all the way back to Norwich where we met up with our respective partners and together we all ate and drank and laughed a lot more. 
I probably should just mention the parrot cage.  At Keys of Aylsham on Monday we went in search of stock to take to Kempton Park and I came away with a parrot cage for £30.  I have no idea why I bought it because a) I prefer to see parrots in the wild  b) it was hardly antique and c) I didn't look at it closely before I bought it.  Upon closer inspection (before we loaded it into the back of the van) we noticed that it was completely and utterly covered in parrot shit.
'You better clean that up before tomorrow' I was advised but there wasn't time (especially as we needed to have a strategy meeting beforehand).
On the way down to Kempton Park the cage fell apart in the back of the van and the prospect of putting it back together again (bearing in mind it was coated in parrot dung) was not attractive.  In fact we left it at Kempton Park - I won't be buying another one of those in a hurry!  The moralof the tale is obvious :-)
Wednesday was strange, with no antique fair at St Andrew's Hall to manage (because of The Norwich Beer Festival) and I spent most of the day making and fielding phone calls and working out just what we are going to do about the massive losses incurred by the business following the burglary last week.  I am in regular contact with the police too and progress has been made although it would be inappropriate for me to discuss that now. 
Thursday was a welcome break: my daughter Laura's 19th birthday and we shared lunch at Loch Fyne in Sheffield before going our separate ways (she to a university lecture and me to the various antique centres up that way).  I am so proud of her and it was lovely to be just the two of us.  I didn't buy much at the antique centres which were very heavily weighted toward furniture and jewellery (neither of which are really things that I deal in).
Back at home today I feel relaxed and sure about things.  I have just one objective for the day and if I meet it I will be a very happy boy...