Strangers on a Bench - EPISODE 42: If Only You Knew

Episode Date: June 30, 2025

Tom Rosenthal approaches a stranger on a park bench and asks if he can sit down next to them and record their conversation.This is what happened! Produced by Tom RosenthalEdited by Rose De LarrabeitiMixed by Mike WoolleyTheme tune by Tom Rosenthal & Lucy Railton Incidental music by Maddie AshmanEnd song : 'For a Mother' by Natalie WildgooseStream it here : https://ffm.to/foramotherListen to all the end songs featured on the podcast (so far) on one handy playlist :https://ffm.to/soabendsongs----------------------------------------Instagram : @strangersonabench Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, sorry to bother you. Can I ask you a slightly odd question? I'm making a podcast called Strangers on a Bench where essentially I talk to people I don't know on benches for you up for that? Do you want to give it a go? We're flying. We're brand new. So me and you on the bench is only going to happen once. I know. Isn't it funny? Yeah, it's nice though. The chances of anyone meeting is just insane really. But then if you think about it too much it's maybe too much weight to carry. Yeah, and it's nice because I was just relaxing and then obviously you come and approach me

and I thought, oh that's really nice that is. That's so good. Well let's hope you feel like that's really nice that is. That's so good. Well let's hope it doesn't, you feel like that at the end as well. I know. You know, with a bit of luck you will be alright. Okay, so first question is, do you have a favourite day of the week? Yep, I'd say it was a Wednesday. Nice. You're very certain about a Wednesday, tell me why.

Because I'm usually in work and I always have a Wednesday off. And then just to de-stress, I come and sit here and it's the best place ever. Oh, that's wonderful. Yeah, I love it. Now tell me, with these special Wednesdays off, take me through what for you is a day really well lived in the world.

Well, usually I think when it get off, I don't plan my day. Today was like a spontaneous one, like just walking around, getting my steps in, and because it was like really nice, I thought, do you know what, I'm just gonna sit and chill and think things that I could change in my life and stuff like that.

So yeah. Can I ask what you've been thinking about? Let's go straight into it. Because I graduated from uni last year in creative writing and media. And I started writing like a suspense type book. But I had to put it down because my lecture says like, to make a good writer, you've got to be able to leave it

and come back to it. Okay. So being out here gives me thoughts and things like the next bit to write and it's going to take a while but it gives me ideas. Sometimes I take notes down to like noises and people because I like people watching. Oh, people watching is good, isn't it?

Yeah, but because you get like, you wonder like what their story is. People sitting on a bench. Well, this is what this podcast is about in a sense. You know, wondering and then also finding out. Yeah, it's interesting. Oh, always. Yeah.

When you're people watching, what are you looking out for? Um, I guess like the feeling, you know, are they lonely? Do they only come here just to escape the loneliness? Because like obviously you've got all these people around you. Hence why I do that as well because like sometimes you feel so alone but I'll come out and then I feel like I'm not even down to ducks and geese, you're not alone. Of course. And that's what I think when I see people you know are they happy? Are they come out the same reasons I have? Yeah. If you had to, this is a funny question,

but if you had to kind of, if you were people watching yourself, Yeah. what do you think you would think about yourself? I'd feel, I don't know, if someone was watching me, I think they'd think I was alone. I suppose like sometimes I can give off that vibe though.

Yeah. Like I was down there before. Yeah. And then someone sat on the bench next to me and I just thought, I want it. Mark Threlfall Oh, you weren't having it? Heather Bell No, I wanted to just be on my own type thing. Mark Threlfall Does that mean you're going to start wandering off any minute? Heather Bell No, no, no. No.

It was, yeah, so I just come up and sat. It was just peaceful. It's not very often I'll get that because it's usually in work, so it's nice to do that. Is work stressful for you? Yeah, at the moment, yeah. They're renovating, so I normally do sort of a few nights and then days and that, so... So you do nights renovating? Yeah, all the builders are in, so we're having to take stuff off, move stuff, and it's like unreal. Have you formed any relationships with any builders

that are fun? I just like, they laugh at me because they keep setting the alarms off. They're like, what you nicking? How are you, oh cool, because they're like scaffolding and stuff. Yeah, yeah, so they're doing all that. I mean, they're lovely, don't get me wrong.

They have more brakes than soft Joe though. But uh. Soft Joe? Just a saying. Oh sorry, it's a saying. I'd not heard that. Yeah, soft Joe? Just a saying. Oh sorry it's a saying? I've not heard that. Yeah it's a scow saying. That's a new one to me. More brakes than soft Joe. Yeah. But who was soft Joe? I don't know. I've always said it for years. Just someone who's soft? Probably. And needs brakes? Yeah probably.

So let's plot a bit of a life story for you. You've obviously got a job and then on the side you've been studying. Yeah, last year. Creative writing. But that was a very new endeavour. Yeah, because I was like a more mature student obviously and I'd done like four years and it was like hard. Like I enjoyed the subject I was doing, I learned so much and then obviously like I graduated which was a big thing at my age anyway. But it was my grandson it was because I wrote like a kid's story and I read it to him and he goes, Nana, he goes, you really need to write for children, that's right. And you need to go big school. I went, I have been to school.

And he goes, you know, it's a big one. Really big one. Yeah, and I went, you mean uni? And he goes, yeah that's it. So it's hard as it was and the challenges I faced. I kept thinking of him and I thought, I've got to do it for myself. That's lovely. But for him, and he come on my graduation day.

So yeah, it was best feeling ever. Tell me what made you go to uni. Yeah. What was that moment when you decided? How did you decide? It was just like years ago, I'd had the kids and I sort of like put myself on a bath burner. It was work in the kids and stuff like that.

Like the kids were my big accomplished but I wanted something for me that I could say I did this but by myself. Because people thought I wouldn't see it through because I'm like that. I'll start something. Yeah. Yeah, where I thought no. And you show it and you prove them wrong. So well done I think it takes an extra special courage yeah to start things later. It was scary yeah I mean I was

like 55 when I started do you know what I mean it was a big thing for me I'm like oh geez I was like the mum yeah I was like I'd come up to problems I was like oh oh geez. I was like, the mum? I was like, did you come up to me with problems? I was like, oh geez. What was that like? It was lovely. Is it fun? I'm like that in work now. Yeah. Yeah, I get hugs every time I walk in.

Or they're like, where have you been? I hug everyone in work. I'm terrible. Do you think people don't hug enough generally? Yeah, that's true, that. Some a little bit. But there was one, and I sort of broke her barriers down because she was just like, yeah.

And now, every time she sees me now, she's like, whew, straight away. Well that is very good of you. I think it's important because I didn't have it when I was younger. Okay, what do you mean your parents are not? Yeah, yeah. Oh dear.

Yeah, so now I- Was that indicative of just generally how they approached you? Just how they approached, yeah. But I wanted to break that where I could give that. You know, well I used to do like, the Childline counseling and everything. Amazing.

Yeah, so I really enjoyed that. But I moved where it was heart wrenching now. So it's just, yeah. Just to get it, if you're on the right footing, Childline is basically, you're the head of the phone. Yeah. And a child's phoning up saying they've got a problem with their being abused or.

Yeah, you can't sympathise with them. You've just got to have empathy because we have to have training on it, how to be that person. So they don't want sympathy. They just want someone to listen to them and to show them empathy, which is different from obviously sympathy.

And it's hard because you hear them and what they're going through. It's like, it's so hard. But when you can make that difference to that one person, it's the most rewarding thing ever. So when you have that shift, I mean, I think I got about, say, I have phone calls in the space of four hours. Wow.

That's a lot. It's gut wrenching because you see it. You know, you hear it type thing and it's like, yeah, it's one of the, I think, the hardest things anyone can do. But you've just got to be there. Is it kind of quite, kind of difficult to kind of say goodbye to these people? I mean, you know, these kids.

Yeah, you don't want to come off the phone. Yeah. And then you have to like write everything on a computer, don't even know how to use computers, but you have to write everything on there. Yes. Everything that was said, and then the minute you put your thing on, the phone's ringing again.

And it's like, and weekends were the worst. Can you remember a particular call that stayed with you? Yeah, but I don't really want to talk about it. It's too close to home for me. And that's what made me come away from that child line council for that reason. Really affected me, yeah.

Oh God. Do you mean it reminded you of your situation? Yeah. So it was, yeah, it was tough. So from what you said, without obviously wanting to pry through it, it seems like a sensitive thing, but difficult childhood is what you're hinting at here. How did you overcome that? I didn't. I have never overcome it. No, but I had to. You must have overcome it to a sense that it- I have.

For some people, it would turn inwards and you turned outwards. Yeah, I did. Because I suffered with anxiety really bad and obviously depression and stuff like that. But I pushed everything to the back of my head and then I learned how to love people and hug people and stuff like that. But I had to learn that. But I have days where I I'm like it's just horrible it's like each day is different and I do suffer I'm really anxious all the time so this does me good

coming out like in the sun winter and I feel like lost I'm still lost but, you know what I mean, who knows, you know, things might change, I don't know. But I just try my hardest to try and get through a day. It's not overcome it, but I've learned to deal with things and how to work with things. So even though it's there, it's like a light, isn't it? You switch it off. Yeah. And I mask everything.

Like people in work don't know like I suffer with depression. This woman, she said, oh god, you're always smiling all the time. She said, that does my head in that. And I said, if only you knew. And then I told her then I suffer with depression. She said, you would never know. I said no, because I mask it. Do you think that's a good thing? No, probably not. But it's the only way I can deal with stuff. Do you think if people knew more, they would,

that would help you? Probably, yeah. I suppose it's difficult to kind of, you can't really announce it. No, no. So a lot of the time I just mask it and put a front on. But does that take its toll kind of later? It does sometimes.

Like you have like rough days where you just feel proper, rough and you just, this is just rubbish. Yeah. And then other days I'm like, oh, I'm having a good day today. Yeah. It's great. You know what I mean? When you wake up can, can you just know? I know what day I'm going to have. It's just a feeling. Yeah. And it's not related to anything else. And it can swap just like that. Some days I can be great and then within the afternoon anything can just knock me. But I try and like deal with it as best as I can. So yeah it's just all going. Oh it's really difficult. Yeah. You know what you'd be amazed so many people, I mean it's like a really large number who I've

spoken to on benches, have had kind of similar sounding childhoods. It's sad though isn't it? Well maybe they did, more people had difficulty trying to sit on benches before I know, but from the people I've spoken to, I've just had, and it makes you just feel kind of, you know I think so many people complain about their yeah, and it kind of makes you completely reconsider like how lucky you are just to have two fairly normal parents. You've won the lottery basically, given that you could have got, you know, you can get

anything. So I mean, was everyone to blame in your childhood? Was there anyone that wasn't to blame? One particular one. Okay, yeah. But the one that wasn't to blame, did you have any kind of relationship with them? The other one sort of disappeared from my life. Right. And then eventually come back, bit tough, but then we got through it. Mended a few bridges. Did you talk about stuff?

Not the stuff, no. But we spoke about why they did what they did. Okay. You know, like up and leaving. And then eventually we had like a bit of a breakthrough then. Okay. Yeah, so obviously when they passed it was like it was gut wrenching. And I don't think I've really grieved over them.

Really? Yeah. That's interesting. That's my mum. I've never, you know, and I do miss her loads. I think because we got a lot closer than what we'd ever been, which was nice. Oh, that's really good. It was lovely, do you know what I mean?

So there's not that regret that you didn't have those conversations? No, I'm glad like we did. I sort of put my foot down type thing and then obviously they understood then why I was angry at different things. How has it affected you as a parent? I don't know it was like hard because I had barriers up all the time and as a parent? Yeah, do you know what I mean?

It's like it was hard to like show love even though I did, do you know what I mean? It was just I didn't know how to hug, how to love, even though I did, do you know what I mean? It was just, I didn't know how to hug, how to love, and now, like, was just all so close. So it's hugged like a flying sensor now? Now, yeah. So, but at the time, like, it was difficult. How'd you get from one state to the other? Because, I don't know, like, I had a bad breakdown,

mental breakdown, and I realised, like don't know, I had a bad breakdown, mental breakdown. And I realised, you know, I felt like I wasn't a good parent. Even though they tell me I was, but I didn't feel I was. When was that? Oh, years ago. Because mine had all grown up now. But it was just, obviously, a marriage breakdown as well. So that didn't help.

And then, obviously, I got help, like medication, stuff like like that and then it sort of put me on an evening keel because we all went through a lot because of like obviously the relationship with the kids dad but we had talks and stuff like that and sort of like got through things that way because I think talking is like really important. And I think that's what it was, like we sort of had that breakthrough. So now we're all close. After that time, you all sat down to talk about.

Yeah, yeah. Even we still do, even like now. Like if they need me, they know I'm at the end of a phone call or like when my son had the breakup from his marriage, he was with me, coming straight with me then. It's like that, at my homes, they're like little flies keep coming back. Or is it a boomerang, honestly?

It really is, and it's funny, but when we're all together, they all take the mick out of me, which is you've brought that, I just give it back. But that's how it is, and it's really funny, do you know what I mean? So over the years you've basically kind of, you've learnt kind of communication methods that work for you all. Because there was no communication when I was brought up,

where now I know that communication is the key. Yeah, it's wonderful. Yeah. Yeah. And this may be a bit of a big question, but talk me through what a breakdown looks like as opposed to say just, you know, your average day of depression or moment of depression. Oh, God, it's just you literally lose the person you are. It's hard to explain, you're very vulnerable. It can push you to do stupid things.

It's in a blink of an eye you've just completely lost it. You're at rock bottom and to get it back up again is really hard. It's like suffocating. Yeah. So you kind of just block out memories from that time? Yeah. So you just remember? I block out a lot. So you just remember it being just awful, awful time, there's nothing, and it's just

one big blur basically? Yeah, some of it is, but it's always there. I was talking to Dr. E, he said you a, not a memory loss, but it's like, in your head is like it chooses to block out certain parts until it's resurfaced again. So obviously that's what I must do. I see. Yeah. But it literally, it's your brain blocking out

some of those things, so it doesn't always resurface all the time. I see. But something might, it'll trigger that off, the memory, and then it'll just come flooding to your head. Or even with dreams and stuff like that. I wake up and I'm physically sick because of anxiety. Whatever was in the dream, I'll wake up and then I'll be sick, yeah.

Oh, that's awful. Yeah, it's, you know what I mean? But I mean, like I have a laugh and I love, I love having a laugh and stuff like that. Yeah. And go like with my daughters, I'll go out with them. Oh, lovely. Their friends will say,

we're taking your mom out with us because- What does going out look like? It's great. Well, we'll say like, right, on Saturday we're going to go out and we've got this thing about going in the photo booth and we'll go in there, take really funny photos, add those memories.

At what point do you get in the photo booth? In the beginning because I know obviously once I'm gone. You usually get there, that's almost like before the first drink in the photo booth. Love it. Do you have a go-to face? Oh yeah, things like that. That's perfect for audio. It is. But it's like peace peace out, you know what I mean? Yeah, we just have a laugh. It's funny because I don't get like, a blotter where I can't walk on a straight line, but I will be married. They always say to me, go in the photo booth first because otherwise, once you've had a few drinks, you go around robbing people's hats.

I've got to sing about hats. I did on you here. What? You're a hat robber? Yeah. Love it. Yeah. How many hats can you take at one go? I've given them back.

Oh, you've given them back? Oh, sorry. I thought maybe you was collecting them up. No, because we went to a house party. I was a nun. It was a Halloween one. Yes. And then that come off, the habit stuff come off.

Then I had, for some reason, I had someone's red wig on. And then I had this other thing, a hat, I had something else on. And then when we went out on New Year's Eve, there was a couple and they had these party hats that I went off. So I put it on and everyone keeps saying, what is the best in her?

I said, it's wigs, hats, scarves, you name it. Hats and I'm like, yeah. That's amazing. I think if any, you're gonna to be any type of robber, hat robber. Yeah, hat robber. Absolutely brilliant. I just think it's because it makes you like look different.

You know, you've got this thing. It's an instant look change, isn't it? Yeah, so I have to. It's the quickest way you can change your look. Yeah, my daughters are like, oh God, she's off. She's doing it again. We know we're in that zone. But it's so funny though.

It is funny. What's it like to go out with your kids? They love it. I take them out. Oh, brilliant. So you bring the party. Yeah. It is funny. What's it like to go out with your kids? They love it. I take them out. Oh, brilliant. So you bring the party. Yeah.

Oh, God, yeah. Do people look at that and go, oh, that's so, you know, do they think it's strange? No, they think it's dead nice. Well, it is dead nice, but I was wondering what the perception is. No, they go out with friends, but the friends invite me as well. Oh, my God, so you're just like the cool one, basically.

Yeah, I love it. I just like, I like where you can just have a laugh, let your hair down. Are we dancing as well? Oh god, you're on the bar. Yes, as in like literally standing on the bar? Yeah, because there's other women dancing on the bar. Oh amazing.

You see, so we get up. Oh incredible. How many moves can you do if you're just on the bar? No, just dancing and singing. How wide is this bar? Just like, for now, a bit wider than this. It's not very wide. No, I'm all right.

You're pretty good. Yeah. See years ago, I used to, when I lived in Runcorn, I used to get on the windowsill and dance all the time. To windowsill in Runcorn? Yeah, in the bank chambers in the 90s. Hang on, let's take you, one sec, one sec. You used to get on the windowsill?

Yeah. Of aill. Yeah. Of a club? Yeah. And then just what, and then what the other side of the windowsill was? Do you just dance in it? Everyone's dancing on the windowsill. Bazin, was there any,

was the window not open, I guess? No, no, no. No, no, no. Because it'd been blocked in with wood. And I just said to a friend, should we go off on the windowsill? Should you have gone? So we did.

And then everyone was doing it then. You're a pioneer. Windowsill pioneer, they all followed you. Yeah. And what do you feel like when you're dancing? Oh I love it, absolutely. I don't know, it's just like, it's like a release but you feel really happy. Like when I go for a walk I have my music on all the time and I feel like I can conquer anything when I've got music on. That's lovely.

Yeah, when I'm going on the bus I if I'm a bit anxious going into work, even though I love work, anxious, music goes on and I have so many ideas going through my head, yeah, I'm going to do this, this, this, do you know what I mean? But it gives me that boost. So it's, yeah. Are you ever tempted to just kind of just dance everywhere?

I'd love to. I do it in the shops, but my daughters go mad at me. In the shops? Yeah, messing about. A song comes on, I'm like, oh, I love this. Here we go, let's do it! Yeah, and they're like, packing in now. Yeah, I have to admit I've also embarrassed my children trying to do that.

It's great. It's too fun. It's too fun not to just see their faces. Yeah, I said, it has to be done or I'll sing and then I go please. Yeah, you get to dance also and then also see their faces. It's a dabble whammy. I said anyway, a mum has to, or a dad whatever, has to embarrass the kids at least, won't you? But you do it every time we go in the shop.

It strengthens them. Yeah. Do you think there's, I mean, is it a Scouse slash Liverpool thing where it's cool for your mom to be in a bar? Yeah. Or is it a youth, is it just a youth thing? No, I think Scousers are all the same.

Yeah. Yeah. They just know how to have fun. Yes. Yes. That's a great thing to have, isn't it? Yeah, and very friendly as well. It is a scouting, they're like your best friend. You meet them, you get on with them, and that's how it is, you know.

And you're straight off dancing. Yeah. That's just so lovely. And talking. That's my favourite pastime. Yeah. You're very good at it. Yeah, I absolutely love it.

You're well-practised. You're so well-practised. I'm very much enjoying talking to you. Can I ask you about your tattoos? Or is that a bit boring? No, no, no, no. Everyone's got a meaning. But mainly it is for I lost two boys at 26 weeks pregnant and one of my daughters was born at 25 weeks, but she was a twin.

She was one pound six born and her brother was one pound fourteen and he only lived five days, but I got tattoos in memory of them so that's in memory all that my legs are something like the that one and they're that lines on the side of there for me grandkids yeah if it's not too painful to ask what I mean I mean how did you get through losing the... Oh, God, I didn't at first. It just, that was horrendous, the first one, obviously. And to go to your child's funeral and seeing that little coffin, it was just,

I was distraught, literally, I was like, it was horrible, I just, but then, obviously, a while after that, I got, like, I had another son and that was, everything was, well, he had problems, but like, now he's okay. And then I had the others and then I had the twins and I had them at 25 weeks. There was no stopping them type thing. And it was on the boxing day and I knew that when I went to see them both I knew that he wasn't going to make it and the kids dad was saying to me well how do you know you're

being stupid, I went no. And sure enough we got a phone call at quarter six so we had to get up to the hospital and he hung on. He worked on him for 45 minutes and he put him in my arms and I felt his last breath. But I had to focus on my other daughter. She was really poorly. She needed, like me, the kids needed me, do you know what I mean? So it was like, yeah, it was hard going. And even now it's, one would have been 28 now and the other one would have been 25. It doesn't go a day when I don't think about them at all. So when I feel sometimes really low and I'm thinking about them or the anniversary and what have you, I'll get a tattoo.

I haven't brought a book today but I'll sometimes write in a book. It's like therapy, writing in a book. I think that's writing your thoughts down, little journal, and then I'll do like a negative and a positive, and I think, oh, I've had more positive days this week. I had one negative day. So I think that helps as well.

You know, for anyone, if they're going through things like that, is always have a journal and writing it. And what you want, what your goals. Even for me, in my age, I think, what your goals. Yeah, so that's how I do it. Yeah. Yeah, considering what you've gone through, it's just immense courage to get to where you are.

And it seems like you are. I'm still standing. You are, or sitting. Yeah, well, that's a different story then. This is me one of my daughters. Hello I'm Tom. Yeah he approached me and said do you want to go do the podcasting? I want to do that you know. That's so cool. Imagine going up to people on the benches.

I know I'm very lucky. I get to hear people's stories. Do you want to say anything about your mum? She's a great person. I feel like she's very ambitious and wants a lot of life which inspires obviously all of us. But no she's someone who's very driven and stuff like that. So that is definitely inspiring. And nothing's unachievable,

which I feel like is definitely amazing. Yeah, I'm really getting that sense from talking to her. Nothing is unachievable. Nope, I say that to you, Stoney. I really like that. Because she graduated the same time as me last year. Oh, fantastic. And my other daughter's graduating this year.

Did you graduate together? No, she was down in London. And my other daughter's doing Athens, so she me last year. Fantastic. And my other daughter's graduating this year. Did you graduate together? No, she was down London and my other daughter's doing Athens so she graduates this year. Is she gonna pop up next? No, she's actually in work. Imagine. But she was the twin. Oh amazing. The one pound six one. Amazing. And now look at her. This is the first time a child has come to a mother on a bench. I know, it's mad time, isn't it? Actually, though, I had to... This is the new one. Actually, it was down there, but I decided to move up here.

I'm glad I did, because you came on. Yeah, absolutely perfect. Yeah. The absolute dream. So it must have been meant to be here. Yeah, this is so good. Can I ask you three more questions before I've got you? Yeah. Because obviously, you might want to do something with your daughter now.

Do you mention goals and still having them and wanting them? Yeah. What are yours? Well obviously it's having a book. Actually using my creative side because I love creativity and making stuff. And I always remember my mum said, you're very creative, do this, do this. But now my goal is to actually finish what I'm doing.

Do you know what I mean? I have ideas, but like, you know, start and finish it. Do you know what I mean? So, and that's what I wanna do. Can you tell us the name of what this book... What was it that story I was doing? What was the... The tree one. No, I've done the tree.

Oh, God, the cave. The cave. Yeah, the cave. I might change the title though, because the way the story's going, it's like, it keeps you on your toes. It's really good. It is. Because my lecturer said you're very good with your imagination. Your imagination is off the scale. Fantastic. Because my lecturer said you're very good with your imagination. Yeah.

Because your imagination is off the scale. Fantastic. I was like, yeah. That's so lovely. Yeah. Yeah. Is there a question you would like to ask yourself? And then answer it.

I'd say why did I put up with the amount of rubbish I put up with, why did I do something earlier, do you know what I mean? But obviously I can answer that because I wasn't strong. But I wish, that's my question, why did I put up with stuff as long as I did? I'm not as weak now. No, but that's it you've got there. I think some people may put up for stuff for their whole life and never have a breakthrough. So just to get there is a wonderful, important thing. Well, my main priority was to get out the situation for them. Them over there. Yeah, them over there. Fantastic. Well Well thank you so much for talking to me.

Oh no, it's been brilliant, I've loved it. Yeah, I've really enjoyed it. The last question is one that everyone gets. You can either answer it in a today way or a big way, however you want to do it, what are you going to do next? I don't know, like do what I said set out to do but also when we get home she's making me a brew. She doesn't drink hot drinks, I make her have a brew. But you don't drink, that's quite funny. She doesn't drink hot drinks but yeah that's how it is. Yeah, so she's my brew-maker. Yeah. Seems only fair.

And it's easy, because it's only green tea. Yeah, you can't go too wrong. No, just water it on a tea bag, that's it. As I said, it's as if you're making a bloody cake or something. Well, I hope you have a great brew. Oh, thank you. I'm sure I will. Can I ask you a question? You question? What made you get into this?

What made you want to do this? Did you find it daunting to start off with? A little bit. As you're approaching people aren't you? A little bit. I think it's always daunting every time you do it. I mean just you know you're about to kind of slightly shock someone. On the whole most people don't approach people

just with a weird request. So it's kind of, there's always that butterfly. What made me do this, I've always been interested in breaking down the barriers, these kind of invisible barriers between us. And I, you know, I do think it's kind of wild that we all walk around each other all the time and and like you're saying earlier about looking at these people and imagining stories and wondering yeah and actually it's

possible just to find out I mean it's right and then and when you find out you realize that obviously we have more in common yeah obviously that obviously that we're all got struggles yeah and we've all got struggles. Yeah. And we've all got hardships, almost regardless of your situation in life, where you are, there's always, and as you kind of meaningfully put earlier, you know, there's lots of things that are invisible at people.

Yeah. And I think that's a shame. True, isn't it? So I'm better off just, you know, even if we weren't recording this, I'm so much better off for having spoken to you. Yeah. So just to kind of break that down, for me that's always been the plan, the idea.

I think it's nice though, I think it's nice. Because you're making someone's day. And then it's obviously extra that people get to hear it and to get something from it as well. But on the whole I just have intense highs walking away from people and knowing that we've had a moment, just two people just randomly come together from different parts of the world. It's nice though, it's really nice. So thank you so much for being part of that. I've enjoyed it.

Good. Thank you. I've enjoyed it too. Yeah, and good luck. Oh, Thank you. I've enjoyed it too. Yeah, and good luck. Oh, thank you. Black clouds on the seafront, today in Liverpool Never pull too fast to be visible out there From you to me to them Oh, the first time when the hand grabs your palm And shakes you from your light sleep Through all of these and after again You'll feel the warmth of those little bare feet How writing calmed you on the children that you have I know there's nothing they can't do So you sleepwalk back to your car to find out

She's put on a kettle for you Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, Oh Oh