Lexden Road

Had a sobering chat with a man on the bus up Lexden Road. He was homeless, living in a tent in Stanway. He was so depressed he’d pulled all his fingernails out. I’ve been depressed in my time but I’ve never done that. He was originally from Glasgow, had been in rehab in Plymouth and been resettled in Colchester because he had family here, he said. Whatever… It hadn’t been a great success. Evidently.

He was on universal credit, £250 a month, he said. Not a lot of people make me think: I’m glad I’m me.

But he did.

He said he was hungry. I gave him 16p in a Post Office see-thru plastic change bag – all I had in change. He took it, not gratefully but without complaining. Then a little while later he returned the empty change bag. You never know when it might come in handy.