The Greek lefties are nothing if not guys with a highly developed sense of humour - no sooks among them (unlike that current case Sook v. Other, currently before Mr Justice Surfcrest and a jury, with Paul O'Sussex QC appearing for the plaintiff). The Greeks not only stumped up the money needed for a debt repayment, but stumped it up a day early.

I asked one of the refugee rent boys if he'd ever had a customer pay early. "Oui," he replied (I think he'd arrived from French North Africa), "Are we all prim Victorian matrons?" I wasn't sure what he meant but doubtless it will become clearer as time goes by.