Day saved by a dead Pope!

Monday was a miserable day. It was cold and raining at 4.30am as we packed the car, and still raining cats and dogs as we unpacked at Covent Garden.

The animal analogy is quite appropriate here, as my early night was scuppered by an errant hamster (Smartie the escapologist) liberating herself from her hamster ball and taking refuge in one of the bedrooms. It took about two hours to work out which room she was in, and then I was up until 1am trying unsucessfully to coax her out! (To date, she is still on the run). Having a rather large cat in the flat lends a little urgency in this task, so I shall keep you upto date with the Houdini of the Hamster World.

Smartie, the Harriet Houdini of the Hamster World!

I digress, however, the story gives an idea of how tired I was yesterday morning, the weather reflecting my mood and physical state.

While setting up the stall, there is often a scrum as boxes open and objects of delight are revealed. Not yesterday. I even had the time to go and get a cup of tea from Pete's Cafe (my preference for breakfast being the Blackpool variety - a mug of strong black sweet tea and 20 cigarettes)!

By lunch time, I think that we had just about covered the cost of the carparking and were looking at a rather large black hole in the finances. Mid afternoon is ususally pretty good. NOT ON BLACK MONDAY! Still worried about the errant hamster, I now had to consider working a full day and paying for it out of my ever depleating pocket!!

As ever though, being behind a stall, you get to meet some lovely people. It is always a pleasure to tell the stories behind all of the items that you have, and a comlement that they appreciate your choices in stock. (It would be even nicer if they bought it)! lol

One of the items that we have is a stained glass portrait of Pope St Pius X, and on his two outings, he has created quite a stir. There have been a few people who have questioned the voracity of my identification, and have been a little taken aback by my knowledge of the man himself and Roman Catholic history, dogma and symbolism. (Having spent 5 years in seminary training to be a priest, and all of my education until the age of 21 being provided by that institution, I tend to have an idea of what I am talking about with religious artefacts, and can gently let the enquirer know that they are not going to chip away at the descriptions given)! lol

After selling a few Victorian candlesticks for a few pounds, it was hartening that a serious enquirey was made about 'Old Pius' (as he has affectionaltely become to be known). A young man who has just been made Titular Organist at a Catholic Monestary was very interested. (Pius reformed the Roman Catholic Liturgy and was a promoter of Gregorian Chant, so would be an appropriate gift to himself)! Finances being what they are for a student, we discussed price, sadly, at the moment they would not stretch that far. Photo's were taken and my card given.

As the afternoon progressed, the rain got worse and hundreds of more photographs were taken of the Elephants foot. If I had a pound for every time that foot was stroked and photographed, I would be a rich man, not a man looking down a black hole of negative finances for the day!! lol

We hung on to the death on Monday. Chatting to other traders and the odd tourist. A little depressed, we began to slowly pack the stock away, hoping and praying for a last minute sale to save the day.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flurry of Herringbone Tweed rushing toward me, and heard a call of 'Has he gone? Has he gone?' Confronted by the gentleman mentioned earlier, with an air of expectation and a look of longing as he glanced over to see Pius still enthroned in the glory of electrical back lighting, he breathlessly pleaded that he might place a deposit on His Holiness.

That is how the 'Day was Saved by a Dead Pope'. (Perhaps I should pray for a miracle from Pope Pius to get the Hamster back in her cage)!

See us next at Old Spitalfields Antique and Vintage Market on Thursday 17th October!