Drifting tenuously off the subject...
...but I suppose it can count as an answer because the guy was a stranger, trying to elicit a pecuniary response.

The Oscillating Gibbon and I have just been in the pub with Nettlesteed (a mutual friend of ours) enjoying the fine ales available at the Charles Dickens on Union Street (for the information of any London-based b3tans: it's a great establishment; for all of you: apologies for posting whilst half-cut).

A chap appeared outside said pub with a hat full of change in one hand.

In his other hand? A leash. To what was said leash tethered? An alpaca.

I saw this. I double-took. I looked harder to make sure it was real. There really was a man outside the pub with a miniature llama.

Naturally, upon realising this, I did the only mature thing and stormed out of the pub to pet said alpaca. The chap was collecting for some children's charity and was just leading the llama through London with him.

I'm normally a bit selective about which charities I give to, but to be honest, any charity which will let me fondle a llama for money can probably expect a handful of coinage off me.

I like llamas. And alpacas. And other variants on the camelid theme.

Sorry, started slightly off-topic and just drifted further and further away from it. Meh, have a good evening, the lot of you: I've got to be up at silly o' clock tomorrow to get to Reading in time to give a talk at 9 to what few have managed to get in despite their hangovers.

But I got to fondle an alpaca outside the pub. Oh yeah.
(LongJohnBaldry, Fri 3 Jul 2009, 22:44, 4 replies)

This truly was
one of the most brilliant moments of both of our lives.
(The Oscillating Gibbon is eating curried squid, Mon 6 Jul 2009, 9:39, closed)

Speaking of tenuous...
my boyfriends brothers girlfriend is a vet, and she has a three month old alpaca. They are absolutely made of cute - I too would have spunked a pocketful of change to snuggle one if a bit pishty.
(berk, Mon 6 Jul 2009, 11:01, closed)

just the one alpaca?
thats a bit rough- they get very stressed on their own.
(Symball, Mon 6 Jul 2009, 12:06, closed)

Fantastic
That is the biggest and first genuine smile of today, thank you sir!
(Obi wanker nobi Its not a bug, its an unexpected feature, Mon 6 Jul 2009, 16:11, closed)