There is a character who lives in South End where my barista daughter works at the weekends.

He has been a feature for decades, Malia’s landlady remembers him from when she was young and probably knows the back story.

I don’t, I just know what my daughter has told me.

He comes out at night when people are queuing for the clubs or hanging outside the pubs smoking.

They throw coins on the ground and he picks them up as if he’s ‘found’ them.  He puts the money in his bucket through a slit  in the lid.  No fear of spilling any of his bounty.

He does not want anyone to hand him money; he doesn’t want anyone to pop it in his bucket; he wants to pick it up from the ground.

He wears a reflector-safety jacket  so he can easily be spotted.

Malia saw him during the day yesterday while she was working her early morning shift.

As an ordinary person, in his jeans and a jumper.

She snapped him the evening she went to Zumba.

As Penny Picker Steve in his yellow jacket.