Should I have said hello?

Wednesday is my day for walking down to the now upmarket Balham badlands to check out the bargains in Waitrose. After loading my booty into my trolley, I was waiting to cross the road and who should come and stand next to me, wearing a hat almost as daft as mine, but Arthur Smith! I have been a big Arthur Smith fan for years now and really enjoy listening to him on the radio. I tried to catch his eye but failed miserably. I just got the feeling he was a bit distracted and had to get somewhere. So he dashed across the road, leaving me behind, and went into one of the more fashionable watering holes.

What would Milena have done? Well, Milena wouldn't have been on Balham High Road with a shopping trolley full of cut price meat from Waitrose for a start. But that's not very helpful. OK, Imagine that Milena WAS there. What would she have done? I think she would have left him alone too. She would have been wearing a hat and sunglasses too - probably more stylish - but she would have respected his privacy and let him get on with his day.

Yes - that's it. Respecting people's privacy. Not much of that goes on these days, so it seems to me. I was lucky enough to go along to the fantastic Green Wing convention in January this year and there was quite a debate on how celebrities seem to be treated as public property. The ladies organising the event were so concerned about anyone from the show being subjected to inappropriate behaviour certain measures were taken to make sure that all went well. In the event, we all behaved ourselves - even the GW people! Living in the age of fecklessness as we do, our convention was an oasis of calm , comfort and chocolate cock eating. Not quite sure what would have happened if JRT or Tamsin Grieg had joined us, but I'm sure that certain people would have hidden in the loo and squealed in there in order to preserve their dignity and avoid being slung out by the organising committee!

No doubt I'll see Arthur again, and get the chance to tell him that I think he's looking very well now he's given up the drinking , and that I enjoy his work very much. So he's got that to look forward to, lucky lucky him!