Real Life Experiences

Why Did a Cheerful Homeless Man in Coventry Pretend He Knew Me?

How an unexpected encounter took me completely by surprise

Sometimes, it’s good when something random happens. It keeps life interesting.

Several years ago, I decided to visit Coventry. I don’t know why, I’d just never been there before. It was a nice sunny summer’s day, and I was in the mood for an adventurous day out somewhere different.

I got a bit lost on the way, but that didn’t matter. The scenery was pleasant and the journey was all part of the fun.

So I got there and started to have a good wander around, taking photos. I was particularly interested in the cathedrals. There are two — an old one damaged in the Second World War, and a new one.

Here are the ruins of the old cathedral (not my photo):

Here is the new cathedral:

The inside of the new cathedral:

Both cathedrals together:

So, there I was, with my camera, wandering around near the cathedrals.

Suddenly, this young guy saw me, stopped, and enthusiastically said something like:

“Hey, it’s you!”

I was like, “Sorry, I don’t don’t know you, do I?”

“Yeah, it’s me, remember?”

“No, sorry, I have no idea who you are.”

“Yeah, we met here last weekend!”

“Sorry, no, this is the first time I’ve ever been to Coventry.”

At that point, he deflated:

“Sorry man, things have been going really badly for me. I’ve got no money, nowhere to live, nothing to eat. Could you please spare anything?”

I got my wallet out but made sure I kept my distance from him. As I handed him a 50p coin, I said, “Sorry, that’s all I can afford.”

Then he was gone, and I wondered what had just happened. He seemed to have initially pretended to know me in a bid to get my attention. I’d never experienced that before, but it kind of makes sense as a tactic.

I did take some photos that day. Not of the homeless man, but other things. Such as the students skateboarding around by the University. The images have a highly processed look about them because that’s what I was into at the time.

I like routines and planning things, but sometimes random events like this add spice to life. These unexpected occurrences stand out as highlights in my memory bank.

I had a fun day out that day. But I do wonder what happened to that homeless guy…

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