And the other problem I alluded to ?

Had my briefcase snatched at the bus stop last night. Just reached the stop (behind Holland Park Rd), bent down, put my case on the ground along with a bag of shopping. I'd not even finished straightening myself up, when a kid on a bike swooped low and hard and took my case the way a sea eagle might take a fish.

In a strange way, I was actually impressed at the kid's cycling acrobatics: pedal furiously, drop one hand off the handlebars, and pluck my bag off the street. Not easy to do. However, one demonstration is enough thank you.

I ran after them, pretty futile, but everyone does it. The last thing I saw of the pair of them (there was another) was them going hell for leather through a subway and off into the wilderness of Shepherds Bush

I'm a realist; I'll not see my bag again. Not much in there: library book, couple of notebooks, Filofax, and my Blackberry. Miss that Filofax though.

Going to buy myself a hoodie and blend in. Go native.