Beggars CAN be choosers !!!!!!!

Shakambari,

Nice post. I received enlightenment regarding this matter eons ago, when I took pity on an old man who came begging at the bus stop. Imagine a shock a while later when I saw him smoking a cigarette. My money had literally gone up in smoke. After that I decided I would never give them money. Would give them something to eat instead. And now you have seen what they do when you give them food and you also know why.

Do you know there are a lot of beggars who have lakhs of rupees in their accounts and begging is a profession for them. Have you heard the joke about a beggar who was begging on the streets. He used to sit with a slate and a bowl. One day at around 12.30, a passer-by took pity on him and put money into his bowl. The beggar picked up the coin and threw it back at the passer-by and said "Don't you see what time it is? It's my lunch break. And can't you read? I have written the notice on this slate. I don't do business in my lunch break".

So now I do not take pity on them. Anyway I pay taxes to the government. It is now up to them to do the needful.

 

Well written Shakambari!!!

I do agree with you and satchi, especially in India this seems quite a happening

It happened with me too:

I was returning from US 5 years back and we were in the taxi at the signal.
A lady came asking for alms with a child. I sincerely did not have anything more than 1 rupee coin as Indian currency (I had kept it to make a phone call in case I did not see my dad).
I gave that 1 rupee to her, she refused to take it and threw it back in the taxi saying: Taxi mein baite ho, aur 1 ek rupya dete ho!!

You are going by taxi but giving 1 rupee :crazy

 

that could have easily happened

 

Shaka,
Alms should be what they ask for and not what we think will be useful fo them! Once I gave some change only for it to be returned without a thought! They can chose indeed!

 

hi everyone,how true.......
years ago,i had gone to my hometown for my first delivery.a beggar, a teenage boy came to our house and was asking for money-he looked perfectly alright but could not speak.he opened the main gate came in and dropped a card with something written on it.[i am dumb,etc,i need help and so on.......].my dad who was doing some work inside asked me to send the boy away and lock the main gate.so i just asked him to do the same.after waiting for a while,the boy started to go.he went a little far and uttered some very bad words in telugu-i was so shocked and angry....................he was not dumb at all.another time ,a boy was begging in the train.......he seemed not to have legs ,there was band aid on his knees and he was literally dragging himself on the floor and begging.my lil daughter felt bad and asked me to give him money so i gave and after a while,another train came along on the opposite platform and i saw this boy getting up and literally running to catch that train.........once again ,i thought..........these beggars........