Mr Shaky Hand Man

Every town and city has its colourful characters. Here in Cardiff we are blessed. Enlivening our streets are bin-bashing Ninjah, Toy Mic Trevor, and that lady who bothers buskers by positioning herself about a foot in front of them and dancing. Until his recent passing Mr Shaky Hand Man was another. He would approach complete strangers and shake their hand. Then he would ask for change, his palm upturned. Other “nutters” have come and gone: Nobby, with his pack of dogs, Arthur the Tourette dwarf, and that chap who used to step out into oncoming traffic on Newport Road and start throwing martial arts shapes. Sadly, he died after being hit by a car. You will have your own heroes. In this YouTube – one of my favourites of the year – the aforementioned Ninjah performs a fitting, if slightly disturbing, tribute to Mr Shaky Hand Man. During this festive season let us remember the freaks, weirdoes, outsiders, anarchists and non-conformists, for it is they who make our lives more interesting.