I had had a very good morning and was in a good mood until a few minutes ago. I had been into school, where the kids ‘interviewed’ me about film. Then, having received an email earlier to tell me they were ready, I trundled to the opticians to pick up my new glasses. On my way, however, something happened which really pissed me off.

I haven’t seen Chopper in over a year. I want nothing more to do with him. I was a fool to ever see him as a friend; he was only after my money and free beer. When I was hanging around with him, a local worm known as Metin used to tag along. I still sometimes see him in the street, but he usually ignores me and I him. Today, however, we passed eachother on opposite pavements: I ignored him, but he beckoned me over the road. I was about to cross anyway to get to the optician, so I thought I’d be polite and say hi. Almost immediately, he suggested going to the pub, but before I could even turn my ipad on to say I had given up drink until December, the slimeball asked if he could ‘borrow’ a pound from me. Of course this set bells ringing – chopper used to ask to borrow money often after I had had a drink,, then never seemed to pay me back. Now here was this prick, whom I hadn’t spoken to in ages, suddenly pretending to be my friend and trying to use me as an easy cash supply. Utterly offended, I just turned my chair and proceeded on my way, ignoring the mumbled insult the toad hurled as I drove off.

Yesterday I attended a GAD seminar about hate crime toward people with disabilities. It is apparently on the rise, and I’m currently considering reporting this incident as such. A man just tried to take advantage of me. I’m wiser now, but there was a time when I might have fallen for it. I’m sure this incident comes under that heading – yesterday I described my experiences with chopper to the group, and the consensus was that it could be classified as a hate incident. Most of all, I’m angry at the audacity of this worm thinking I’m a soft touch and thinking he could play games with me. In act, at the moment I’m furious.