Friday 13th

Actually was going better than expected. Good interviews, good meetings, pay day and before you could blink time to go home. Being Friday it meant via pub. Which was it's usual good self.

Until at 11ish I noticed my friend Furry's ruck sack had been taken from underneath our noses. We had been standing outside in our usual place - bags against the wall.. talking, drinking and sharing a pact to smoke our last ciggy when I looked down and only saw my bag.

We looked up and down the wall but nothing. It had been lifted under our noses. My heart was racing and my friend turned pale and disappeared to the toilets. The rucksack had several high value items inside, laptop mainly and someone must have clocked that and seen we were too engrossed in our conversation to even notice.

After the shock. The anger and then the sensible stuff. Called the police and got a number for the local station - went to said station. Sitting in the police station at 11.30 at night is not something I have done before but the other stories coming through via the radio of mini cab drivers harassing people and other fights made me see my local working area in a different light.

I had my handbag stolen several years ago in a pub just off Bond Street. It violates you. You mentally panic and grapple around to make sure there are no identifying items in your belongings. Whoever took mine - pinched the mobile phone and the old Sony tape Walkman (with Depeche Mode's 'Ultra' in it - I was more upset I had lost that than the player) but left keys, tube pass and hung bag over a railing to be found. Luckily my purse had been in my coat pocket. I retrieved my bag the next morning from the police station on Saville Row. But I can't forget the fear I had that someone had had the opportunity to learn more about me than I was comfortable with. Goes to show you can never be too careful. I still just can't believe that with two of us stood there either side of the bags someone was still able to get that close - and we didn't notice.