I was nagged into accompanying The Dragon yesterday on condition we also experienced some culture (museum visit) for a change. It began badly with a beggar sat yards from the exit/entrance of Queen Street station. He looked far too clean 'n' tidy to be homeless so he got a "no fecking chance" response to a 20p for a cup of tea plea. Ditto a minute later to another chancer sat on the pavement across the road. That drew a rebuke from The Dragon 'cos he "looked nice." Within the next ten minutes, the time it took to walk to The Three Rivers pub, we had been approached by two spewdent types waving leaflets and another beggar in Park Place, female for once, who was way too clean again. She got the default response and quite a bit more for getting lippy.

Sat outside the boozer minding my own business yet another scammer tried his luck, he was a respectable looking suited fella of about 30 of Indian appearance. He wanted to buy a fag. "Certainly," said I cordially, "how many do you want?" "Just the one, is 10p okay?" he replied. I explained that they cost me 53p each and that was the price he would have to pay. Without a word, he took to his heels.

Hours later back on Queen Street having been issued with a familiar bollocking, I managed to ignore all the pests intent on foisting PPI, accident compo claims and Bible literature into uninterested people's mitts. That was until a street seller lady wearing full Middle Eastern dress jabbed a plastic flower in my direction. I'd seen that miserable looking unsmiling creature bothering shoppers several times prior but had given her a swerve. I suspect she understood not a word of the proceeding rant.

Anyone else round here dread or get wound up by the Queen Street experience?