‘Scammed on a Dublin street’

Sir, – I too met the smiling stranger Quentin Fottrell met (“Scammed on a Dublin street”, Weekend, December 14th). On a recent Saturday morning walking up Grafton Street, the smiling stranger bumped into me, of course apologising. “The sun is blinding me,” and “I love Grafton Street”, followed by “Don’t I know you?” in his rural accent. “Where is it you are you from? Sure I know it well. Did I work for your sister or had you a brother in that other village, the one near the school?” He finished with, “I am out from the Beacon for the day having some tests done.” I suggested he ramble down to the Palace Bar, to have a coffee and a sandwich and pass the time looking at the photographs in the back room, and maybe see some of Tipp’s sporting heroes.

“Do you know what! I left my card at home and as I speak they are driving up with it.”

A pity I haven’t a cent, I said, as his pace quickened into the blinding sunlight, melting into the crowd in search of his next target. An Oscar performance surely. – Yours, etc,

ALICE LEAHY