'I Am Not The Vagrant'
I read with amusement the other day about the lengths Sir Fred Goodwin - former chief at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) - had gone to over the fact that people continue to call him a 'banker'.
Now this is clearly unfair - because Sir Fred is no longer a banker.
He retired from RBS some time ago - with pension of £350,000 a year - reduced from £700,000 a year, albeit only after a huge public outcry.
But Sir Fred wants people to know - 'I am a not a banker' - so badly - that he took out a super injunction in an effort to get people calling him such names - in public at least.
Seems to me there are be worse things to be called - and this thought took me back to my childhood - and a famous BBC Play for Today I remember watching - many years ago.
'Edna, the Inebriate Woman' told the story of a 'bag lady' from London - played by an actress called Patricia Hayes, if I remember correctly.
Down on her luck - as most bag ladies must be - Edna was nonetheless proud and feisty - unafraid of standing up for herself and railing against her critics.
One of these was a judge or magistrate she ran up against - on one of her many court appearances - who called her a 'vagrant'.
'I am not the vagrant', Edna insisted - as she spat in the eye of the judge - metaphorically speaking, of course - because whatever else she was, Edna wasn't stupid .
Instead she was a truly magnificent sight - as I recall - not cowed or beaten down, despite life's misfortunes - and without oodles of cash on hand to defend her reputation.
What a contrast with Sir Fred - who is clearly no longer a banker.
But who was, in happier times, proposed as a knight of the realm - on the advice of none other than Gordon Brown - the former Prime Minister.
Now this is clearly unfair - because Sir Fred is no longer a banker.
He retired from RBS some time ago - with pension of £350,000 a year - reduced from £700,000 a year, albeit only after a huge public outcry.
But Sir Fred wants people to know - 'I am a not a banker' - so badly - that he took out a super injunction in an effort to get people calling him such names - in public at least.
Seems to me there are be worse things to be called - and this thought took me back to my childhood - and a famous BBC Play for Today I remember watching - many years ago.
'Edna, the Inebriate Woman' told the story of a 'bag lady' from London - played by an actress called Patricia Hayes, if I remember correctly.
Down on her luck - as most bag ladies must be - Edna was nonetheless proud and feisty - unafraid of standing up for herself and railing against her critics.
One of these was a judge or magistrate she ran up against - on one of her many court appearances - who called her a 'vagrant'.
'I am not the vagrant', Edna insisted - as she spat in the eye of the judge - metaphorically speaking, of course - because whatever else she was, Edna wasn't stupid .
Instead she was a truly magnificent sight - as I recall - not cowed or beaten down, despite life's misfortunes - and without oodles of cash on hand to defend her reputation.
What a contrast with Sir Fred - who is clearly no longer a banker.
But who was, in happier times, proposed as a knight of the realm - on the advice of none other than Gordon Brown - the former Prime Minister.
