After my boss left me tonight at The Parcel Yard pub in Kings Cross Station I bought myself another half of IPA and headed out onto the balcony to find a phone signal.
2 blokes were sharing a table with a 3rd vacant chair. I asked if it was free and sat down.

1 of the chaps, called Matt, is a town planner living in Cambridgeshire. We chatted about friendly northerners & the difference between Geordies, Mackems and Smoggies, the differences in neighbourliness in the North South divide. We chatted. He missed his train so got a 2nd pint.

While he was at the bar 2 more gentlemen joined us, Geoffrey and Ringo who’d been in London for their yearly club lunch. Both lived in the North. Both roaring Tories. Matt & Geoffrey had a heated debate until Matt realised he was close to missing his second train.

As he left Matt whispered to me that my challenge, should I choose to accept it, was to persuade Geoffrey to watch a Ken Loach film...
A virtual impossiblity. But a challenge, nonetheless.
I set about my task.

Another heated conversation about benefits, the welfare state, beggars in York and veterans living on the streets. Geoffrey and I do not see eye to eye.
He asked if I gave beggars money.
I asked him what he’d do with a tenner if I gave him one. He said he’d buy himself a drink.

Geoffrey said people were using food banks rather than buying food from a shop. I told him he was delusional, asked if he’d ever even been to one. Said he knew he would need a referral from a GP or a social worker to go to get food.

I explained to Geoffrey that he didn’t need a referral to drop off some food, see what they do, who they help. Talk to the people who use these essential services.
He made me a promise, as an officer (veteran) and a gentleman, that he would go to see for himself.

I don’t know that he will. I sincerely hope he does.
I do know that there’s more chance of him doing that than watching a Ken Loach film.
In truth I can’t watch them either. Because they’re too close to the bone. Too painful to watch. Too true.

If you know Matt (lives in an end terrace, got a 3 year old and not nice neighbours) tell him I tried. I might not have succeeded but I tried.

PS: Send some tins to your local food bank if you can. Thanks for reading.