After I'd delivered 60 of 'my' children's books to a primary school a bus-ride away (those near me have less need) I walked along a road I didn't know existed and stumbled upon the Westbury People's Gallery. A two-storey mural on the side of the house, entitled Ship of Fools, shows a boat containing caricatures of Tory politicians and facing the street is a banner made of used Covid tests saying 'Welcome to Plague Island' surrounded by boards covered in political articles, poetry and posters (extra). I discovered that the anarchic front garden welcomes visitors and is segmented into 'rooms' containing powerful political statements, music, paintings and sculptures.

My blip, one of several representations of Boris Johnson, is next to a 'room' entitled Brexit Tears. Further round is a music room containing a gamelan orchestra (extra) made of scrap metal: a watering can, a rusty wok, some suspended shelf brackets, a wheelbarrow...

It wasn't until I saw a fridge, with the notice 'Open me and get a free beer, by MA and ML' that I realised I know the creative force behind this. MA has not always - how should I put this? - found me easy to work with and I was just making my way out of the garden when he emerged from the house. He wasn't sure where he knew me from but once I'd told him we stayed safely on common ground and had a good conversation.