Out in the world again

Well here I am, out in the world again
Back in the cold, cold weather.
How much work must a poor man do
To rub two coins together.

It's true - they finally signed the bit of paper, handed it to me at the gate at 8 a.m. on Tuesday 2nd April and said, "You are free. You can go."

So I went.

I've been asked the question - "What's it like to be free at last?"

Well, I'm not exactly free, but never mind. What I said was that it was interesting.

Wouldn't you think that after 27 years I would have something deeply meaningful and erudite to say about the whole experience? For some strange reason I don't - not yet anyway. No doubt but I will have soon, when I've settled a bit, but not yet. However, I've said loads of that kind of thing in my book, "An Abuse of Justice", currently being edited. My editor has been to see me a couple of days this week - a very interesting fellow indeed; as wise as an owl studying lexicography. Ha! I wonder how many are reaching for a dictionary now - I am.

I've also had Herman to spend a day with me along with my new agent, who doesn't want to be mentioned at all so I'll just have to call her Blondie - that's a clue. Actually, she is as good as gold and turning into a great mate. She thinks that I am weird - mind, I think I'm weird.

I had to go to the bank to get an account sorted out and I want to give a plug to a lady at the Co-operative Bank. What a nice and extremely helpful girl - or woman. Mind, she looked young to me - but having said that, Lady Godiva would look young to me. It made a change for me to be trying to force the bank to take money from me rather than taking money from them. I suppose I've come full circle.

What strikes me about this city is the fact that it seems to be a friendly place - people seem to be more cheerful and inclined to help. Even the police seem to stand looking benignly upon buskers, and there are a fair few of them - buskers, I mean. I saw one today, a one-man-band with the cymbals on the knees and the drum and the banjo. He was rubbish, but that's not the point really - at least he is trying to earn an honest living. Don't knock it - I might have to come out of retirement myself. Has anyone got a banjo they don't want? Is it hard to play the banjo?

Finally, some people may remember the swan which last year knocked my camera into the marina here. Well, I was there again yesterday and I swear that I saw this swan just swimming casually nearby, but watching me out of one eye. It looked smug - I bet that's the one which did it!

The Voice In The Wilderness