controlled excitement

Today being the 19th anniversary of the poll tax riots and the eve of Financial Fools Day, it was never going to be entirely quiet. And so it was that in the middle of the afternoon, the area of the City containing tomorrow's targets, those vile banks, sprang to life with gaudily striped plastic ribbons, strung from post to post. A small crowd gathered, made up in the large part of newsgatherers.

"You're still too close to it" said the portly policeman, gently ushering inquisitive onlookers back a few feet.

"It" turned out to be either a suspect package or a bomb, depending on which officer of the law was speaking.

A few minutes later, those paying attention heard a small and unremarkable bang - a controlled explosion. Very few on the street appeared to notice, accustomed as they are to London's ongoing background symphony.

All the while, tomorrow's casual dressers whittered into their cell-phones. There was a satisfying look of concern on many of the faces, but no sign of actual fear - yet.

The BOF fell to talking with a veritable Humpty-Dumpty of a City of London Policeman, who informed him that, yes, Bank station would be open all day tomorrow.

Many of the exits from Bank station are in the very spot where the Four Horsepersons (sic) of the Apocalypse marches meet at 11.00 tomorrow.

Oh yes, this is England.