Tuesday, November 24, 2009

On tramps

On tramps

Is it just me – or don't you see tramps these days?

You know – proper tramps. Gentlemen of the road, badgering you for the price of a portion of chips and a flagon of the finest freshly-pressed scrumpy, living like kings of the road in cardboard palaces under the railway arches of our towns and cities.

Characters to a man, a far cry from the modern wino who is virtually indistinguishable from market-stall tracksuit-clad binge-drinking chav.

Their own way of life. Their own secret signals. Their own private haunts in the unwanted, crumbling quarters of town, huddled round camp fires, sharing their tales of the road.

A dying breed – where are they now?

In other news: God, it there ANOTHER kebab shop opening in town? You've got to love that smoky, cider-marinated taste of a large doner and chips.

Actually – that's not a bad idea. I hope nobody's got in before me.

20 comments:

Lord Andrew of Goulding said...

First!

BTW, organ-donor kebab link-ski not working.

Pseudonymph said...

Second! We have a tramp around here. Which is surprising, as it's relatively effluent. He walks up and down the highway with a wheelbarrow, collecting bits and pieces. He has an appreciation society on Facebook, wherein people give him new sneakers for his constant walking. He is an icon.
BTW, organ-donor kebab link-ski not working.

Debster said...

Turd for kebabs

Aunty Brenda said...

Fourth for tramps. They make the divorce lawyers go round.
BTW, organ-donor kebab link-ski not working.

Squeakypony said...

Hey! I got a fag end in my kebab.

p.s. organ-donor kebab link-ski not working

Audrey said...

They can take Catherine Tate if they run out of tramps.

Mr T said...

"I pitta the fool..."

JJ back in Blighty said...

Mmmm, kebab. No. Too sober. Maybe later.

BTW, organ-donor kebab link-ski not working. Dodgy quotes. Should be:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Russia-Police-Have-Arrested-Three-Homeless-Men-Suspected-Of-Killing-And-Eating-A-25-Year-Old-Male/Article/200911315453983?f=rss

Erin said...

Or:

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5AF4W320091116

I think I'll go for curry tonight instead.

Anonymous said...

If you want tramps I suggest you visit Bath...

Richard said...

You've set me wondering; the greatest concentration of kebab shops in Crewe is along West Street, natural home of "market-stall tracksuit-clad binge-drinking chav". Apparently cheaper than lamb.

Richard said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
WrathofDawn said...

@Pseudonumph - Effluent? You live in the by-product of a major industry? :)

Also, the tramps are out there. It's just that they're so outnumbered by the mentally ill, released to fend for themselves on the streets by Care-in-Community programs, they just don't stand out anymore.

Also: BTW, organ-donor kebab link-ski not working. No need. It's on the dole.

Zimmer said...

No, Richard, you should head further south to Nantwich road where, last time I looked, there were over 23 different take aways (minimum of 3 kebab shops) in less than a quarter of a mile..

Richard said...

This is true. But Derby Docks is nearer West St thus ensuring a ready supply of Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

TRT said...

Oh! I thought that sign was a simple misprint and was meant to say dodgy kebab shop, not doggy kebab shop.

Invader Stu said...

I've not seen so many of them in Holland of late which is strange because I think there are more here than in Briton.

The Antman said...

A greasy old bloke with a ferrety beard and a red, tennants extra slab of a face asked me for a shekel the other week in London. Old school, that boy was.

Steve Dix said...

Where are they now?

I'll tell you. They're infesting the bus-stops and U-bahn stations of Cologne, that's where they are. To such a degree that the U-Bahn have been forced to hire security guards with big growly alsatians to go round and regularly throw them out.

Kaptain_Von said...

All the tramps have migrated to the corner of the road near my office where they congregate on the seats for a few nips of 'Chateau Special Brew'. It's great fun, I get to watch tramp fights from the comfort of my seat and it gives our security guards something to do when one of the gentlemen of the road pisses in the shrubbery. It's a sight to behold when our head security guard rushes from the building wielding a broom and drives a half sozzled tramp with his tackle out along the road towards the old folks home.