publicgriefjunkie 

 Latest blog post 

The Trouble With Brighton

Dear Rachel,

I'm not sure I believe in horoscopes, although I do see how having several different innate character types would be useful if you were inventing a species from scratch. As a means of prediction it seems flawed to me, although no more flawed than an origami salt cellar. This is the official name for one of those paper devices from everyone's childhood which consist of four folded quarters, the contents of which contain a 'fortune' which is revealed and read aloud after the 'enquirer' has first picking an assigned number and colour.

Recently on my stall at Greenwich Market, I was confronted by Dalek Stu's endearing son Peter and Mental Dave, who owns an imaginary hotel in the Bloomsbury area, who appeared from different directions at the same time. Peter shoved an origami salt cellar at me and asked me to pick a number, to which I replied 'Four'. Mental Dave informed me that former Spurs and England midfield maestro Glenn Hoddle was looking for me in Marks and Spencer, to the amusement of nearby customers. Meanwhile Peter, having counted to four and rearranged the salt cellar accordingly, asked me to pick a colour. I said 'Blue', while Mental Dave asked if I'd heard any more from Phil Spector about his car keys. Peter unfolded the origami salt cellar and invited Mental Dave to read what was written there.

'The Problem Is You're An Idiot', he said, quoting the salt cellar and bringing a look of ill-disguised glee to my customers.

'That is uncanny' I said, and walked off to get an Americano from Coffee Keith, leaving them all to their own devices.

Read more