A Fairly Small IssueHuttonian is only just getting used to seeing Big Issue sellers in Berwick so one outside the Coop in Duns was a surprise. Business was not brisk and until I offered my £1.50 having watched a lot of folk stream past him, eyes averted, handbags on the other side-bankrupted by Christian Aid week, possibly.
He seemed to be a Romanian; gipsy background, possibly-almost Turkish in mien. How sad to leave his tribe and homeland, come to Scotland in search of fortune and be reduced to selling the Big Issue outside a small Co-op. Perhaps he was sun lighting from the Farne Fisheries night shift?
I doubt if he will sell many in Duns.
But I could be wrong.
Incidentally if any of you are hesitating about purchasing a BI in case it is full of English/Southron irrelevant stuff, be advised that the Duns version is the Scottish
Edition-complete with the heraldic red lion and chances to win free copies of the Lonely Planet Guide to Scotland. And under the title Why Holidays at Home are Hot to Scot an article recounts that a week in July in the Costa Del Sol will set you back
£1,775 but one in Oban a piffling £810. Travelling to Spain is at least £ 898 by Easy jet (family of 4-plus £122 for a hired car but Oban is £12 -petrol for the car
In both cases you start from Glasgow. If you started from Duns paying the pump prices
currently at offer in our two garages-£12 might get you to Gavinton.
With a following wind.
Labels: Big Issue, Duns
