Big Issue Seller Outside Sainbury's, Sidney Street, Cambridge
Has anyone else noticed this bloke?
He advertises his wares with such ditties as

"Dont all rush at once"

"Come and buy one if you can find me in the crush"

"Help the homeless, you've got the money, I havent"

He may or may not be a conman, but he is a cunt.
(Vic Flange, Fri 19 Oct 2007, 16:13, 7 replies)

Thats almost a poem
made me laff anyway
(scowners shagged his mum on, Fri 19 Oct 2007, 16:16, closed)

I know that guy!
I remember him at the strawberry fayre this year, selling tins of Stella for three quid a can. I can't decide if he's a tramp entrepreneur or conman.
(danlondonny, Fri 19 Oct 2007, 16:20, closed)

He also
Has the hi-lar-i-ous selling point of "two free staples with every copy!"
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Fri 19 Oct 2007, 16:27, closed)

He is a complete cock.
Someone punched him once - an Arbury townie by the look of him - when they took offense at his sales pitch.

Several people laughed openly.
(Vic Flange, Fri 19 Oct 2007, 16:37, closed)

Dodgy
He's not scottish is he, florid, well built and about 45 by now?

Might be the partner of my old landlord - used to have to call the cops every week as he beat up his 70 year old lover - who died in mysterious circumstances prob about 1995

Nastiest, most unpleasant person I've ever met, and the only person who has ever made me consider getting 'friends' round. Message me if you want more details.
(Chevron71 is oscillating wildly...., Fri 19 Oct 2007, 22:03, closed)

I know him
Yep, I know the gentleman. Always outside the Sainsburys, hassling every single person who goes in. Incredibly, incredibly annoying. And so many little phrases...

"Two free staples with every copy!"
"Only three left and I can go!" (number mysteriously does not decrease)

I bought a Big Issue off him once. Fine, help the homeless, feel good about yourself kind of thing. The second the Big Issue had left his hand, he immediately returned to his little spiel as if I'd never spoken to him.

Now, am I being a bit unreasonable, or is a simple "Thankyou" or "Thanks" too much to ask for? Or even a grunt of acknowledgement? Something?
(calamarain just invented dehydrated water, Sat 20 Oct 2007, 4:35, closed)

He's not a conman, he's not a cunt
His name is Clive, he's currently banned from Jimmy's Night Shelter so he's in a pretty precarious situation as if where he's currently staying doesn't work out he's going to have to sleep rough (which he sometimes still does).

Talk to him; he's a nice guy. He's got a cold at the moment but doesn't believe in taking Lemsip.

No, he's not Scottish.

Varsity did a piece on him... a while back now (three years?) in which it gave his backstory.

If he didn't thank you for buying a Big Issue you probably didn't treat him like a person. I'm not judging, but he always thanks me. Actually he put me on to a story which I'm considering researching for Varsity at some point, which is relevant to the QOTW;

Jimmy's Night Shelter at the moment (allegedly) charges the council for providing beds for about 200, but in actuality only houses about 30. They're the cunts here, folks. Clive's just had a really shitty life and is trying to get by.
(Faboba, Sun 21 Oct 2007, 21:41, closed)