Pigs and Bums

I submit two interesting and potentially amusing anecdotes for your pleasure.

1) A couple of nights ago in one of the dorm rooms two of my floormates, both American and drunk, and I were having a conversation. One of them had a pack of Wine Gums that he had bought and at one point started complaining how English Wine Gums aren’t as good as Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms or any similarly gummy-flavoured American candy. That led to a comparison of English vs. American candy and a discussion of our favourite candies.

So, naturally, I mentioned one of my all-time favourites, the Martingrove staple, Juiced-Up Power Pigs. Which, of course, no had ever heard of. I tried to explain it to them and they had no idea what I was talking about. Another lost cause I assumed, and went on my way.

The very next day I was shopping in Marks & Spencer’s and I went to the checkout line with some juice. I’ve shopped in this store before, but this was the longest queue I’ve had to wait in. As I was shuffling along past the shelf full of candies and other impulse-buy items, I saw some candies in plastic packaging. As I passed Licorice All-Sorts, various Gummy treats and some mints, what should I see?

Percy Pigs.

Which upon closer examination, are EXACTLY the same as Juiced-Up Power Pigs down the reddish ears that offset the rest of the pig’s pink head. I didn’t have enough cash to purchase both the Pigs and the juice and I didn’t want to put the Pigs on credit card, so I had to wait to buy them. I had a seminar presentation today, so I wasn’t able to get back to the store since, but Wednesday afternoon I returned to Marks and Spencer’s, purchased the pigs and tasted what will hopefully be the first of many, Juiced-Up Power Pigs.

It was delicious.

2) So, I was walking home on Sunday night and I took a cut down a side street. As I was walking along the street, a homeless dude approached me. Well, he might not have been a bum as he didn’t appear obviously homeless and he fed me a yarn about his car, but I’m going to assume he was a homeless person of some kind. So, anyway he asked for 1.80 pounds, as his car had been clamped and he needed a bus to get home to get to his other car, yada yada yada.

I decided I’d give him some money, but I didn’t want to give him two pounds, so I gave him the only other change I had, which was my fifty pence piece. He was quasi-grateful and I continued on my way.

Suddenly, I heard him calling after me. I turned around and he was gesturing towards me. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, but I tend to be trusting of those I meet randomly on the street, so I turned around and went back to him. He held out his hand and said, “Look. These are the old 50p pieces. They don’t accept them anymore.” I asked him if he was sure about this and he said he was and gave the coin back to me and walked away.

So there you go, a bum rejected my attempt to give him money. I haven’t been that humiliated since I brought a picnic basket and blanket to Covent Garden.

P.S. I didn’t actually do that, but I ran into someone who thought the area was a literal garden and I thought it was worth sharing.

3) Does anyone know where I can find torrents for this season’s original Law & Order and not SVU or CI? As much as I enjoy Chris Merloni and Mariska Hargitay (and Richard Belzer, Ice-T and BD Wong), I need some Sam Waterston and pure, classic, Law & Order cases.