Shepherd of the flock

London
In this world there are people that read the script and there are people that write the script. Then there are a handful of people who rip up the script, stick it on a wall, daub it in paint and leaves and glitter, set fire to it, get some friends round to watch the flaming scene whilst having a pavement party and drinking cans of Holsten Pils, laugh and then walk away. Have they created art? Maybe. They certainly don't play in society's defined behavioural sphere.

My friend Robert is like that and it's a breath of fresh air to meet up with him for unhinged and free form chat: stories that start two thirds of the way through and are told in both a forward and reverse gear often with a diversion down a cul-de-sac; talk of historical sci-fi graphic novels about rival gangs of tramps, politicians & pigeons battling infront of a yester-year Bloomsbury backdrop; cooking up crazy photographic projects; simply revelling in nonsense language play about pies; a writing retreat to a Swedish bakery. Pretty much anything at the other end of the spectrum from house prices, stock market jitters and reality TV. Terrific. Yesterday's lunch with Robert at Alara on Marchmont Street was just such an occasion.

I left him with a smile on my face and a spring in my step as always (despite my reluctantly healing sprained right ankle...thanks for the sympathy, cards and flowers that have flooded into Spratticus HQ by the way. Touched).


Here's Robert with his new DVDs containing the back-catalogue of his artwork all ready to be sold to a shrewd art collector with an eye for the genius.

Robert's taste in records and knitwear might leave a little to be desired though.

Now here's a pretty gratuitous plug (excuse the pun...you'll see that it's a pun later) but if you're struggling for a suitable birthday present or Christmas gift for your Maiden Aunt Maude or anyone dear to you in fact, you could do worse than picking up one of Robert's original art-towels (tea towels with his art work on it) or table cloths from UnityPeg. Small taster below:





And for no other reason than I found this facility on my camera yesterday, here's a multi burst picture of some random commuter on a train.