Sometimes people who street-beg aren’t who they say they are.
A three-year-old girl holding a Toys for Tots can asked my friend Meredith for a donation at the busy CVS yesterday. Meredith is kind and loves Tots, so she pulled out some singles and handed them over, but the kid didn’t stick the folded money through the can’s narrow slot.
Instead, she pocketed it and walked away.
Five minutes later another beggar approached Meredith at the same store, different aisle. This time it was a desperate woman seeking bus money, and Meredith helped her out with a couple of bucks. The woman thanked her and took off, and my charitable friend went about her shopping with the money she had left.
Ten minutes later, different aisle, same woman hits her up again.
She pitches the identical bus money spiel, word for word, inflection for inflection, to an astonished Meredith. Then…
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I constantly have this dilemma every time I com across a beggar! Meredith is so nice
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I’ll let her know – thanks!
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If I give at all it is a material object of usefulness. Such as a coat, a blanket, a cheeseburger, a bottle of water or soda. Something I know they will need/enjoy and can’t easily trade for anything bad if they happen to be bad people.
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No, I don’t bother to worry about my coin’s destiny. Who am I to judge?
They’re free to do whatever they want. All in all, it’s not a fortune, it’s a coin.
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That’s a great idea – even bad people need eat, sleep warm and hydrate.
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I don’t have this dilemma anymore, if I have a coin I give. If I haven’t, I don’t give.
Usually to those I know or do something like playing music or painting, so I avoid the judging/mistrusting thing.
In Montevideo and Frankfurt (I didn’t see any in my town or in Stuttgart) I just gave when I had. If I’m in a tight budget, well, what can I say? Sorry mate but no. But if I have some money, who am I to say no?
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Great philosophy – can’t give what you don’t have. And I find that artists/musicians/poets are truly grateful for anything you donate.
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