The touching scenes surrounding the final journey of the local character we've dubbed Juggling Jim are sadly symptomatic of our attitude towards the homeless and those who inhabit the 'nether regions' of our ordered society.
Jim's world of street begging with his particularly spectacular and jolly display belied a life that could only have been cold, lonely and uncomfortable.
I'm not happy to admit that despite seeing him on the streets many times, I did what most of my fellow shoppers did and skirted round him, avoiding eye contact and pretending to be in a hurry to keep moving.
The turnout for his procession was almost entirely made up of people who, like me, wished they'd done more when the poor fellow was alive.
Too late for Jim but maybe there's time to redeem ourselves?
Jim was one of many sleeping out and about in Lynn, Dereham, Norwich and beyond.
Let's see if we can't turn Jim's passing into something more than a sentimental article in a newspaper.
You don't have to look far to find a charity needing support for the homeless and if that's too much trouble you can still make sure you pitch a fiver onto some poor beggar's cap.
Steve Mackinder, Sluice road, Denver.
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