An Unsettling Experience

I was photographing in Royal Exchange Square, As I went to exit via the south arch, a well spoken street beggar gestured with his arms thrown wide and grinned at me.

"Are y'gonnae take my picture? Is it £100K Kate Moss gets?" I demur just as someone drops a coin in his cup. "Ah! There I've got 20p!"

I never give to street beggars or Big Issuers, but he seems a real character and in jovial mood. He asks if it's my 'job' and I say that it's just a hobby because I love the buildings.

"OK. Here's the deal. " I say, "I'll take your photo if you want and I'll put something in your cup?"

"Do you know that Stirling's Library ... GOMA ... it was a private house originally?" He asks.

I line up the shot and then ........ this man POSES! He turns off the smile, drops his head, droops the shoulders! I am astonished.

"There you go! Is that OK?" I show him the shot.

He's all bright and bubbly again. "Aye, that's great. Have a good afternoon then.
Cheerio!"


Now tell me: what on earth was going on there? Was he revealing that he has a begging persona? Was he giving me the image he thought I wanted? Did he think I'd hand him the camera to check the image... and leg it, camera in hand? I don't know the answer.