June 21st - London - The Great Sale

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The popular tourist regions of London are rife with pick pockets, fraudsters and scam artists. Paddington Station, what I consider to be my "familiar spot" when arriving in London, is just such a place. It is always the first station you arrive at (taking the London-Heathrow Express) when coming to London from the airport. It is also where I usually book my hotel - amongst the rows of hostels, hotels and B&B's stacked side by side in the crush of Victorian structures. So it was to Paddington Station that I went when attempting to make a quick sale of the remaining portion of my British Rail Pass. I had originally purchased a 4-in-8 ScotRail Pass which allowed me to travel any 4 days within 8, on any British rail service. I had used two days up out of the four on my trip to Glasgow and return. This was a great ticket for anyone traveling a long distance and I hoped to give this away for a reasonable price. In fact, I first looked for someone appearing to be "in need", to which I could perhaps give the ticket to for free to help them out. But no luck. So I rolled up my sleeves and began soliciting individuals in the qeues at the ticket purchase machines. Ten, twenty, thirty people went by, each refusing my generous offer of a "half-priced" ticket.

"Um, no thanks," said one young woman as she rolled her eyes in cynical disbelief.

"I don't think so," relied a savvy clean-cut professional male.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"Yeah, RIGHT!"

My confidence began to get a little shaky. Pondering on the profusion of rejections I soon began to realize that I was being perceived as the huckster-shiester-scam artist working the station crowds. Hmmmm, time to change tactics.

I hiked up my expensive camera around my neck and displayed it more prominently. A Canada flag pin, buried deep in my pocket, was quickly pinned to my front shirt lapel. I slipped into the nearest WHS bookstore and purchased the latest prestigious international newspaper and pressed it up under my arm. Now I was ready to make a sale!!

I upped my pace, moving rapidly from "target" to "target", unsure whether their focus of interest was the train over my shoulder or my curious undulations among the crowd. I honed my opening line, mastered a bit of new body language, and launched missile after missile of clever ticket benefits at them. FINALLY, one chap glanced me over and, motivated by what seem more like pity than a good deal, he offered me 20 Pounds for the ticket. The deal was struck and a visit to the nearest ATM sent two totally satisfied strangers on their respective ways.

I boarded the underground and went out to Brick Lane on the east end of London, near Whitechapel. What an interesting area, full of award-winning restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

I had another meeting with Sacha Stone this evening, and his partner Anna. Both wonderful people!!

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