Shameless
Monday 7th September

The place where everyone signs on for Jobseekers allowance in Altrincham is a building called Roberts House. It's near Broadheath Industrial Estate where there's Currys, Argos, Toys R Us and other big stores. I've been known to sign on in the past. Wha hasn't these days!

At one point when I was out of work I thought it was a bad thing to be signing on. But once you get used to it, it can be fun. You can almost start to look forward to your visit every two weeks and how you're going to blag your way through asap. It's because you're looking for a job, don't want to do all the explaining how it's really going, since if it was going well you wouldn't be there! Then you leave happy in the knowledge of having £120 in the bank in a couple of days. Going out money for those who are on it short term. Although it's not enough when you've run out of savings or are on it long term.

When I was last claiming jobseekers, at one point petrol was over £1.10 a litre. With that amount of tax paid on petrol and running my car around town at 20mpg. The £60 from jobseekers would simply go back to the government in fuel tax. The money going around in circles.

Anyway. Not far from Roberts House which I pass as I drive along Washway Road is a town called Sale. By the way. As I drive past Roberts House a guy claiming jobseekers gets into his private plate brand new BMW! He might as well claim some of that tax back.

So now I'm in Sale. I park the car.
I'm walking around Sale and there's lots of officials in yellow jackets around. I'm wondering if there's been a crime when I stumble into the film set of a programme. They're filming down the alley next to a charity shop, the alley leads from the main shopping centre to Sainsburys.

They're filming a pink limousine and a bride and bridegroom. The bridegroom looks like he's been locked out of the limo or something. I hear some locals discussing how earlier today the bride was filmed running through the main street in a wedding dress and trainers.

I go up to a black guy wearing a suit. He looks like he knows what's going on.
Me: "Hi, do you know what they're filming?"
Him: "It's an episode of Shameless." he says politely.
Me: "Are you involved with it at all." I say expecting him either to be an official or a local office employee come to have a look at the film set.
Him: "I'm in this episode."
Me: "Oh right! That's cool. I never watch TV much so I don't recognise anyone."
Him: "I'm only in this one episode."
Me: "Ok. How did you get it?"
Him: "My agent got it for me. What do you do?"
Me: "I've written a book and have a website."
Him: "That's good. What kind of book?"

I explain to him about my book and he looks up the websites on his hi-tech mobile phone. We talk a while and he's interested in meeting Alex K - who is also an actor. I give him Alex K's number and say bye. I wasn't that interested in meeting up with him again. I just wasn't. Also he can phone Alex K.

Later as I'm walking through Sale having been to the shops, lots of people hold up their camera phones and all start taking pictures of me. I'm wearing a cap and jacket, I suppose I wouldn't look out of place at the job centre right now. Then I notice to my left walking close to me are some actors from Shameless. They go into the café.

It's funny how now I'll end up on facebook next to actors from Shameless. Me wearing a cap and looking like a scally in Sale.


Summary and venue reviews

Sale
Notes: A neighbourhood in South Manchester.
Sale



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