No pokin'

When I was a young child I travelled everywhere by train. My dad was a lifelong railwayman, and we went all over on cheap tickets.

My mother claims that on one journey, when I was about 3 years old, I got very stroppy with a man who was smoking in a no smoking compartment. Allegedly I stood and pointed at the sticker on the window shouting "that sign says no pokin', no pokin'" Clearly I was showing signs that a career being an officious prick in law enforcement was for me.

Today I went walkabout around Leith Docks and the Ocean Terminal shopping centre. I spotted this old man sitting puffing on his pipe, in direct contravention to the clearly indicated no smoking regulations in place. And I thought to myself: "yessss, get in there Sir" - if I ever live that long I am going to devote the remainder of my life to ignoring rules and regulations - I may even park on a double yellow line!