That was the weekend that was

Happy did London this weekend (though not in the way that Debbie did Dallas). On the Monday, dressed in My PJs and bear ears, and equipped with a few good friends who were only mildly embarrassed to follow me out onto Islington High Street, I chanced offering bear hugs to the good people of London. Despite a commiseratory hug from an Oxfam Censor it appeared at first that the good people of London were in no need of a bear hug. Apart from the odd shaken smile, and cursory backward glance, Happy was pretty much ignored. It did indeed seemed that London had had far too much of this sort of malarkey to be derailed on a Monday lunchtime by some chap in his nightwear. However despite the odd protestation from my friends along the lines of “You’re making me feel stupid now” and “I think I saw your dignity back there somewhere”. Happy persevered and a few bemused hugs later, trundled off to the Angel Tube Station. Here the rotund Tube Manager gave me a concerned look as if my bear hug sign may explode at any minute, and after some discussion with her staff decided to bear down on me rather menacingly (do you see what I did there, do you. *sigh*). At this point I fear a little wee may have wanted to seek sanctuary in my pants. I was about to confess to being one of the Guilford Four when she demanded a hug, and cheerfully grabbed me announcing that “Hugging’s better than fighting in innit”. The relief nearly flooded into my socks. Apart from a couple more stealthly surprise hugs from energetic passer-bys Happy conceded that this was his lot and trundled back to the Old Red Lion. Not surprisingly London, I think just seemed a bit more reticent than Leeds to embrace the whole Bear Hugs for no particular reason concept. A good deal asked my friends what was going on and were genuinely baffled when they realised no money was involved. Still there was enough smiles noted to think that it wasn’t all a waste of time. Monday evening Happy was first on to a marvellously packed out audience at the Old Red Lion Theatre, and the show seemed to go down a treat, I was Happy, they seemed Happy, much beer was had to celebrate this Happy match. All told another Happy trip to the Smoke would not be amiss.