SIMPLE SIMON

A curious encounter...

Passing through the arches under London Bridge Station the other day, I noticed a beggar sitting by the wall with his upturned hat on the ground in front of him and a cardboard notice which read:

HUNGRY
and
HOMELESS

PLEASE HELP

Maybe it was being currently broke that moved me to want to help ("There but for the grace of God, go I SOON!") but, for whatever reason, I felt driven to extend the hand of charity.

Noticing a stall selling a range of mouth-watering, nose-teasing, home-made pies, I decided that rather than throw money in his hat that might end up being spent on booze or drugs, I'd offer to buy him something to eat.

"Would you like a pie?" I asked.

Then came the totally unexpected response...

"No, thanks," he replied, "I've just eaten."

Oh, well, maybe he was already aquainted with Mrs Lovett's pies...

[Image: 'Simple Simon' from Mother Goose illustrated by W W Denslow]