I found out the hard way that the Durham Constabulary, actually read their email.

Yesterday was a day like any other day. I was in town wandering around somewhat aimlessly and had just exited Specsavers heading towards an ATM. A woman began staring at me from across the way and walked towards me rapidly.

She grabbed me and said she was a "fortune teller" and that I had a "dark cloud" over my head. (Yeah, it's called Darlington weather, lady!)

She went on and on and I could catch about every third word, as I usually can here when people talk fast. When I'd look away for somewhere to run , she'd get in my face and say, "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME???"

Anyway, this went on for about ten minutes with her trying to talk me into "going somewhere with her" so she could tell me all about my dark cloud and something about seven veils and a bunch of other lunatic ravings. Bottom line was, she wanted 50 Pounds ($100) to "help" me which she later reduced to £30. Yeah, as if. (Gotta look into this seven veils stuff...what the HECK is that all about anyway?)

I swear, I must stick out like a sore thumb in this town. Do I have "American" written across my face when I go out? I dunno. Either that, or someone hired her to kidnap me. If that's the case, it failed miserably. I went to the pub to meet JB and then when we came home, I decided to email the Police.

They called me within fifteen minutes. I didn't want them to "do" anything but thought they should be aware that a person was accosting shoppers on High Row. Things like this just don't happen in the small town in Pennsylvania that I come from.

Help meeeeee !