To make it worse, while wandering around in the miserable damp cold yesterday you had to put up with the latest v2.01 beggars, the guys kneeling down on the cold ground looking down (hands usually held out in prayer or supplication) and v2.02 the man or woman in that position with a small freezing child beside them and v2.03 the little boy in a wheelchair with one bare foot and pantleg rolled up to knee, as if he were crippled.

When a bundled-up regular beggar finally accosted me (“Any spare change?”) I was so happy to see him I gave him whatever coins were in my pocket and wished him all the best.