Poor Man About Town

I was subject to a new begging ploy today. Some bloke was on the bus, he had a tin cup in his hand and a placard slung round his neck - the placard announced that he was subject to various privations. He had a limp. He limped down the aisle of the bottom deck, thrusting his tin mug into the faces of stunned passengers - they obliged by thrusting coins into his mug. It was like been in church when the bag gets passed around, it was an epidemic of forced generosity. I have been in countries and have seen similar stuff. I thought there is no way I would oblige this bugger. He was coining it in. He thrust and rattled the tin mug in my face, I announced "skint", he rattled the mug now full of coins, I announced "skint" again, he did it again, I said the same again. He responded with an unhappy but knowing look. The bus came to his stop and he zoomed to the closing doors, I thought "fuck, he's quick". He get off the bus and started to limp again.

Labels: Beggars, Begging, buses