You know I always bleat on about how grim glasgow is and in doing so, overlook the fact that, as is true of everywhere else, the vast majority of people here are good, honest human beings. An important point to remember, I think.
This was brought home to me today when, sitting on my bike in the traffic queue at a red light, the van in front suddenly went into reverse and knocked me off my bike, the bike going under the van, me - mercifully - to one side. (Apart from some very serious bruising on my right arm, everything, bike included, is OK.)
The second this happened, everyone around stopped to look; they were concerned; they volunteered as witnesses; they sat me down; they called the police; they rescued my bike; they brought me water and a first-aider from the bus-station. I was actually overwhelmed by the basic goodness and humanity of these people, especially the staff at Buchanan Street Bus Station, outside which the incident happened.
I wish I could thank them all personally for their help and for reminding me that things in this town are not always as bad as they seem.
Jewellery talk and more from Dauvit Alexander, The Justified Sinner.