Way back in 1997 in the early days at MABE every SUNDAY we would receive complaints from sellers about the brash attitudes and stealing from stalls by the local Gypsy community and we had to be very careful how we dealt with the situation.

Landlord Mr D said he would ‘throw the lot out’ but my attitude was there were approximately 40 of the community and to upset them would have an adverse affect on our Car Boot Sales.

True enough we did catch the kids stealing one day a seller came to Louise and said a kids bike had been stolen from her stall and a few minutes later sure enough a lad of 8 walked out to the car park followed by Lou as he loaded the bike into a white van.

Louise opened the door and collected the bike and took it back to the stall holder who was delighted!
Not content with that Lou stopped the father of the lad and confronted him with ‘your son stole a bike and I have taken it out of the van’!

There followed the worst nose to nose confrontation Lou has suffered where the father shouted and spat into her face whilst the kid egged him on by chanting to Louise ‘you stink lady-you smell’

I arrived on the scene where a crowd was gathering watching the showdown and I could see that neither Lou or Daddy was going to give way.
I walked between the two and sent them in different directions which Lou was reluctant to accept but the incident was over and probably saved some bloodshed-MINE!

Next we had a Bouncy Castle which insisted that any kids going on the castle had to ‘take your shoes off’
Two bright spark Gypsy lads brought bin liners and stole 11 various pairs of kids shoes while the owners ‘bounced away’

However, my crowd of Gypsies a few years ago became reborn christians and they have changed in so many ways they are a pleasure to have at our sales. They are still brash and outspoken and assertive but dont forget they spend a lot of money at the Car Boots.

To bond a friendship they asked me to go to a special birthday party at a HOTEL for one of the elders when ‘everyone would be there’

I agreed to go but at the last minute made an excuse not to attend and was pleased with my decision when days alter one of the sons said ‘hey mister you missed a great party and it was brilliant when the fights started but even better when the women fights began there was blood everywhere and the hotel was wrecked Mister!

Geoff