'I had every such a funny experience the other day, Maureen. I was just sitting on a bench in the park - you know that park by the war memorial? Yes, the one where your Annie was caught with that young lad. Well, anyway, I was sitting with my sandwiches, peaceful as you like, just sitting and thinking about getting some new nets in the sale. It was all sunny and I was getting a bit sleepy and all so I said to myself, I'll take a walk, otherwise I'll be snoring and dribbling on myself here. It's a nice place to walk, with the ducks quacking, so long as you stay clear of that mad bird that pecks your ankles anyway.

'So I walked up to the square, a patio I think they call it. No, a piazza - strange name to call it isn't it? Anyway there were people everywhere, sitting on the grass, eating their dinner and the like. Well there was one of those men there too, one of those with the painted faces, what do you call them? No, not Goths Maureen, don't be silly. A p-p-ierr...no, no a mime artist, that's it. He had these funny black and white checked clothes on, all baggy and everything, and a white painted face. He did look odd. Anyway he was making out that he was trapped in a box, the way they do. I saw one of them once in London, wouldn't have thought there was much money to be made in it up here but you never know. Well, I gave him a pound, no one else seemed to have given the poor soul anything, and I said he was a nice lad. He looked ever so pleased, and did a funny Charlie Chaplin walk and everything.

'So I went on my way and I thought to myself, I'll have a nice sit down on the bench by the pond, get my breath back. I finished my bait, and chucked some bread to the ducks. I must have sat there twenty minutes. Then I thought I'd best go, or all the good stuff would be gone from the shops. I was walking up that hill to the road - you know, its quite steep, so I was going quite slow. Well suddenly this load of lads appeared, and grabbed my bag! I clung onto it, of course, and stared them right in the eye. A nasty, brutish lot of thugs they were too, but I wasn't going to give my handbag over to scum like that, you can be sure. Well this lad - all shaved head and ear-rings he was, a real fright - he started waving one of those flick-knives in my face! I tell you, Maureen, I thought he was going to stab me, and its not like I even had much worth stealing. Drugs, I suppose.

'Well I told him to get along home, and what would his mam say about him if she knew what he was up to? But he just started waving that knife of his about the place and using the most filthy language. His mates kept on pulling at my bag and all. I was really quite frightened. Oh thank you dear, a tot of sherry would be lovely. These sorts of things never used to happen to people did they? Anyway, all of a sudden someone ran past me and hit the thug. It was the mime man! He scared them all off, even the lad with the flick-knife! They ran as fast as their legs could carry them - he really looked quite wild. Bullies, that's what they were, nothing more.

'Well, there he was in his black and white suit, with this truncheon in his hand and all. So I thought, What a nice lad and I started looking in my bag to give him some money, you know, to say thank you. They always need a little bit of cash extra, these young lads, and it was the least I could do. But when I looked up, he'd gone! Yes, gone, disappeared, I looked around and everything but I couldn't see him anywhere. How funny, I thought, because you know you can see all around from that hill and I'd have thought a man in mime clothes would have been easy to spot.

'Well anyway I went and had to have a sit down in that cafe on the corner. I'd had quite a shock, after all. So I had a nice cup of tea and I asked the girl if she knew the mime in the park, but she said she'd never seen him, though she went there every day for her dinner. Well I wanted to thank him and all but how could I, seeing as he'd run off?

'Well I went and got those nets (very good they were too, you see them at the window there?) I thought I'd have a bit browse round the shops seeing as I was there, and maybe buy a sweet from the bakers for the tea. Well I was looking at the woollens shop, you know the one by the alleyway? Well I was looking in the window, wondering if our Mark would like a tank-top or something and I happened to look down the alley. Well of course I saw him didn't I? There was no mistaking that black and white check. So I thought to myself, I'll go and thank him now. Well he was walking off but I hurried after.

'Took me quite a while, mind you, but I got close enough and said, Excuse me, and he turned round. I started to say thank you but he put his finger up to say Quiet. Well then he crossed himself, and put his hands together like he was praying. No I don't think he was mad, Maureen, its not mad to pray you know. Well I was a bit flummoxed as you can imagine, but you know what happened next? He disappeared! No, I don't mean I looked away and he ran off or anything - I was looking right at him and there was this flash of light, and he'd gone! Yes, I was wearing my spectacles and I'm perfectly well thank you.

'Well on my way home I was thinking. You remember the story of St Christopher? And all the others who helped people? You know what I think, I think that mime was an angel! He was telling me to thank our Lord, not him. I'm ever so glad I gave him something, its not every day you're lucky enough to have an angel look after you! An angel in black and white check, no less.'

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2 KJV)

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Note: With thanks to the two old ladies I overheard in a pub, who gave me the idea for this vignette. R&R gratefully appreciated!