Friday, 21 September 2012

Fr Adrian Benjamin caught removing chairs from Cafe Buzz

Today I experienced the most surreal and bizarre sight in all of my years of blogging about The London Borough of Bonkers Barnet. The bloggers of Barnet have committed to support Helen Michael in every way we can. Given the horrible experience she experienced yesterday and Helens worries about what might transpire as a result, we have been keeping a close eye on Helen and her cafe today. Whilst none of us believe that this is because she faced a direct threat, we felt that the reassurance would be most welcome.

That was why I found myself at Cafe Buzz at 5pm having a cup of tea with Helen and local publisher Keith Martin (as well as a highly esteemed member of the legal profession who would rather remain nameless). We sat chatting and drinking teas, discussing what may transpire, when a truly bizarre incident happened. Fr Adrian Benjamin, a Church of England Vicar and long time friend of Brian Coleman turned up and started hanging around outside. He is known to all of us for various reasons. Helen Micaels children attended his establishment. Rather bizarrely he seemed to be hanging around rather furtively.

We then noticed that he was removing Helens out door chairs and placing them by some rubbish bins up the road. Immediately Helen and myself challenged him as to what he was doing. He replied "They look better over there". He refused to give any other answer and seemed rather confused. He then wondered in and started a conversation with Keith Martin, before shuffling off into the night.

Helen Michael was completely bemused by the incident, not least because she knows Rev Benjamin. We all speculated as to what he was doing. Helen said she cannot remember him visiting Cafe Buzz before, although she has always got on well with her. Given his appalling lack of respect for other peoples property displayed when disposing of the BAPS banner at a festival last year, I was perhaps less surprised.

I guess that unless Rev Benjamin explains his actions, it will remain a mystery. I subscribe to the view that maybe he is losing his marbles.

5 comments:

  1. It's interesting reading Mrs Angry's blog:

    http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/jesus-in-temple-father-benjamin-and.html

    Fr Bejamin says:

    "From a personal point of view I would rather have cuts than carry on spending our way out of recession mounting up a bigger and bigger bill for the next generation. We may well argue though, over which cuts to make and when!

    It's successive governments who have provided an unwieldy health service and a bloated education system by borrowing money we haven't got.

    And as for parking, we who travel by bus (hurrah for Ken Livingstone at least in this respect) are held up by roads narrowed because of people parking outside their houses, treating the public highway as a private drive. Parking charges ought to be quadrupled.

    ... I'm all for debate and discussion, but to have this slanging match, denigrating councillors who are trying their best in very difficult circumstances?"


    (Each paragraph above is separated by comments from other people.)

    Anyway, he came on the bus!

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  2. So not likely to inherit the earth then?

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  3. He's resigned as vicar of All Saints, so you could be right, Roger.

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  4. Perhaps he and Bwian are forming a new pawish to be known as All Sinners?

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