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I am a 68-year-old gay disabled amateur part-time writer living in Slough, Berkshire UK. I have published around 60 articles in 20 leisure and lifestyle magazines. I live with a range of health issues including heart disease, chronic kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression, atrial fibrillation and restless leg syndrome. (I'm working my way through the medical dictionary!). I'm a member of Slough Writer's Group which is interesting and informative. Latest News. 10th July 2023 Awarded 'The Sandy Lee-Guard Award for Endeavour' by the Slough Writers Group. 6th December 2023 Completed studying 'Writing for Magazines' with CityLit University. January 2nd 2024. Fell over in the lounge and fractured my left femur (whilst recovering from fracturing my right femur in July 2023). Recovery expected to take 6 - 8 months. May 2024. Completed studying ' National Centre for Writing' course 'Creative Non-Fiction - An Introduction'. You can see the articles that have been published in the 'LATEST WORK' section of my website. It's at http://richardhill.co.uk/latest.html

Thursday 13 October 2022

Thursday 13th October (Afternoon)

Today, I've been previewing Week 3 of my OU course 'Building Characters'.

I really want to build the character of a lad that sits begging outside my local co-op.


This is an image I got off the net that closely resembles him and that I'll use to create a 'spidergram'. I have loads of questions about him that would enable me to build a 'character profile' of him.

I wrote a poem about him (before I began this course). Here it is :-

Any spare change please?


A young man begs alongside the supermarket doorway.

“Got any spare change please?” he asks.

Some fumble in their bags and rags and hand him some small change.

Who is he? Who is his father, mother, sister, brother?

He smiles with glistening, sparkling yet distant eyes.


A handsome young man, reasonably dressed.

“Got any spare change please?” he asks.

One stops and declares “No cash, but anyway, you’re nowt but trash”.

Each day got through, means there’s more too,

Of beggars like this who ask for what we’ve earned.


But still this young man holds out his hand.

“Got any spare change please?” he asks.

Whatever strife has shaped this life. What has he seen of pleasure and pain?

His politeness and pleading gives more meaning.

To this haunting, fascinating yarn.


He sits in weather fit for a penguin.

“Got any spare change please?” he asks.

A difficult time he says he’ll be fine, despite interest rates arising.

Disturbing sight, but what of night. Where does he go to sleep?

Behind closed doors, he may be back where he started.


But what of the money he has raised?

“Got any spare change please?” he asks.

Will he use it for food if he’s in the mood, or…

Maybe a smoke, or is this a joke, preceding something stronger.

He may have ambition, but what’s his position?


And one hands a sandwich to him.

“Got any spare change please?” he asks.

With regard to, it’s simply hard to give money you might spend on coke.

What you need is food, you’re not healthy dude. And so she went on her way.

The food set aside, hand open, he repeats his pleading mantra.


In the early evening, he’s nowhere to be seen. The echoes…

“Got any spare change please?”.




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