I used to work on the edge of the red light area of Bradford [W Yorks, UK]and one evening as the sun was setting found that my campervan wouldn't start. I called the recovery people and was told they were a bit busy, it would be about 90 minutes before they reached me. As I had food & cooking gear aboard I decided to have dinner while I waited.

I cooked my dinner, ate, and cleaned up. The AA turned up right on schedule, and as the man started to fix my van he asked how long I had been there. He seemed shocked by the answer, and said "Didn't you tell them what kind of area this is? You must have had some weird conversations." He then told me that between pulling up just ahead of me and reaching my van he had been propositioned twice, and offered a freebie by one girl, if he would give her a ride home.

In fact nobody had come near me. Maybe I just didn't look like a customer, maybe the cooking, or the bed in plain view in the back of the camper, put them off. A few of the ladies would have known me as a local bank clerk, maybe my reputation for meanness saved me. I will never know.