C is for Camden Town

 
Been on Soulmates again
And managed to set up a date with Dave.
We arrange to meet in Camden and go for a drink.
He doesn’t look much like his photo, but that’s nothing new.
He’s quiet until he gets a beer inside him and then he warms up
And yacks on about his big money job, his car, and his mates
Without even asking about me.
When I tell him I’m an artist
I swear to God he does a double take
And tells me he likes the good stuff
But none of that modern crap.

Over the road a crowd has gathered and
We go outside to see what’s happening.
Some bloke is going berserk inside an office,
Screaming and shouting and wrecking the place.
‘Call the police,’ someone shouts,
And Dave tries to pull me away
But I want to stay and see what happens.
The manager tries to reason with the man.
‘What do you want?’ he asks through the letterbox.
The man makes some bizarre demands.
He wants to see his dealer
He wants a whore, an old ginger whore,
He wants a box of pies, and
When the manager refuses
The man sprays liquid in his eyes.

It’s really exciting but at the same time scary.
Someone says the man’s marriage has broken down,
That he’s drunk
That he’s dressed as a circus clown.

When the police bring the man out
He looks at me and shouts something.
Dave starts laughing and calls him insane but
I tell him it’s not funny.
He takes this as a signal and tries to land a kiss and
I push him away and head for the station.

I feel closer to the clown and his pain
Than to this pen-pushing dummy.