Manchester Rag Raid
The Scene
Location: My room. I’m asleep in my bed.
Date: 22nd October
Time: 6:45 am…
*knock knock*
I half hear it in my sleep but decide it’s someone messing around in the corridor, and roll over.
*knock knock*
Half awake now, I realise it’s someone at my door so get up to open it.
On opening my door, using it to prop me up, I see a white lion.
Lion: *cheerfully* Morning! Are you ready to go?
Me: muerephhhsdsdveneedtogetdressedandpackmph.
Lion: Okay I’ll see you in 15 mins then!
Thus started my first ‘rag raid’ (i.e dressing up in fancy dress and collecting money for a charity in a random city). It was fun, especially as I got a free ride to Manchester, my home city, where Nika and I ended up staying for the rest of the weekend (in my house).
I learned a lot this weekend. Mainly that I don’t like asking people for money, which surprised me in a way because I have no trouble asking my dad for it 
But people are so rude. I won’t go into details about the stereotypes, the people who blank you, the people who glare at you, the people who give crap excuses or try to flirt or comment on your appearance (I was dressed as a witch and the jokes got boring after about 5 seconds). Although on entering a pub, one guy’s, ‘Clive! Your missus just walked in!’, was quite amusing.
To the guys who asked us for sex and then told me I sounded Scottish – I would hate to see you when you’re drunk. To the bitch who claimed she couldn’t donate because she ‘was eating’, I hope you choked on your greasy plateful that would’ve fed my whole family for a day. To all the young teenage girls who gave me dirty looks, excuse me for doing something for someone other than myself, and excuse me for not wearing huge gold hoop earrings, white trainers and 10 pounds of make up like your scally selves. To all the kids who wanted a sticker but whose parents were too stingy to donate even 1p, don’t listen to your parents ever, you do not want to turn into them – trust me. To all the workers at Subway who didn’t even blink when they saw a giant cat and witch buy subs, thanks for being the only people not to stare at us all day. To the woman doing surveys – I feel your pain, I would kill myself if I had to do that every day. It was a pleasure for me to fill out your questionnaire, despite the fact that it was a bit complicated as I’m living in two different cities at the moment. To all the people who commented on my costume/told me I could make a killing at Halloween with it/asked me whether I was cold/congratulated me on being brave for wearing it in Manchester city centre all day, I love you. Thanks for donating. To all the fellow charity workers from different unis and charity groups, thanks for stopping to talk to us, it was really nice to meet people from so many different cities.
In general it was a fun day, but I was glad to go home! Nika and I went out for a meal with my crazy family, and then went to the pub with Tom. On Sunday, we went to the huge Tesco Extra and stocked up on stuff for uni, had lunch at Nando’s, then went to the cinema to see ‘Pride and Prejudice’, which was better than I expected.
My dad dropped us off last night, and we played foosball with Tom, Ian and their friend Sam who we hadn’t met before. Then I went to bed, got up this morning and went to a lecture, and now I’m putting off working on my drama piece, doing MadEvil studies exercises, writing up my notes, and working on a Wordsworth presentation, all at the same time. I love multi-tasking
Lunch is in 15 mins, so I will either edit this entry later to talk about condesecnding lecturers and strange Americans on buses, or I will save it for my next entry, time willing.
Comments will be returned later today/earlyish tomorrow :love:
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October 24th, 2005 at 12:27 pm
:love: hello! I am the first one to coment! very intersting. I would have donated if you came to Australia. lol.
Anyway the girl with the “plate of food that would have fed your whole family for a day” Dont be so greedy. Ok then cya. From carly. :love::love::love:
October 24th, 2005 at 12:38 pm
Aww poor you! But at least a lot of people were really nice to you as well! It sounded like a lot of fun though!
Lol I love doing that!
Playing football with friends is cool
October 24th, 2005 at 12:54 pm
What? No mention of the carrot parrot? Goodness!
October 24th, 2005 at 5:04 pm
Whooooo charity work
at least no one threw anything at you once i got hit in the head with a bottle lol 
October 24th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
I wanna do a rag raid!! Lmao! Sounded like looooads of fun! Lol about the man in the pub!!
October 24th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
Was there a wardrobe with you? Because that would’ve been the coolest. Presumably the lion stayed with you? Then you could’ve had a whole literary theme going on there!
Well done for being charitably aware 
October 24th, 2005 at 11:51 pm
Gross at those guys. Wow, what jerks. I don’t get why those people couldn’t have donated even spare change. I’d donate if I had spare change and would keep some to donate for later if I didn’t.
October 25th, 2005 at 12:00 am
Wow about everything you went through! Hehe, but glad you had fun!
October 25th, 2005 at 9:20 am
Tom I’m with you…. no mention of claret the carrot parrot *tut tut*
It was so much fun on rag raid, if you ever get the opportunity to go… take it! The fancy dress part jus makes it a whole lot more fun.
nika x
October 25th, 2005 at 10:13 am
I love Nando’s!!!!!:P
I hate people who don’t donate!!!
October 25th, 2005 at 12:36 pm
Nice amusing story there! Congratulations on doing something charity orieentated!
October 25th, 2005 at 1:14 pm
6:45? Woah. And wicked, did you take a photo of you dressed as a witch?
If I saw you i’d have give you some money! Did you see loads of people you knew?
xxx
October 25th, 2005 at 7:40 pm
Hey! Nice story! Peeps who don’t donate annoy me! Would 10p kill them?! Lol! Sounded like a very enjoyable day!
Glad you’re having fun!;)
October 25th, 2005 at 10:03 pm
That Rag-raid sounded ace, i wouldnt mind doing that! People can be so annoying, i mean donating even 5p helps, and they cant be bothered.
October 26th, 2005 at 2:19 am
It is amazing what you found out about people and their character when you do something like that. lol Sometimes embarrassing when you think about it – being in the same city with some rude people.
October 26th, 2005 at 11:42 am
Lol, the people in Subway are like that! I love them!
On Sunday, we’d all the slept the night before at Ben’s house (his 18th) and then some bright spark had the idea to catch a bus into town to go the cinema. We were all totally greasy and half clothed because no-one had brought enough stuff. Half of us were wearing Ben’s clothes and we all had sleeping bags and some had tents. All day we’d been getting funny looks, people at the cinema didn’t want to let us in because they thought we’d make camp. We get into Subway and they’re just so cool! They gave us extra stuff on our Subs and free donuts!