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

I was coming out of the supermarket yesterday afternoon. From out of nowhere - literally out of nowhere - this guy popped up and asked me for money for his busfare. I was a little surprised, he struck me like one of those zombies from The Night of the Living Dead. He said that he needed four pounds. I told him that I did not have it. For fear of my internal organs, I reached in my pocket, ah relief, brown coins - 12p. Then he turned on a couple of African gentlemen who appeared to rather irritated by him "Hello uncle" he said creepily "do you have money for my busfare". The response was icy "I'm skint". The beggar insisted and the response was equal against the insistence "I'm skint". I felt like such an idiot, I could have done that, but I was on my own, the guy looked hungry and he had that look that he would dine on my intestines if I did not give him some kind of donation.

Labels: Beggars, Begging

I was subject to a new begging ploy today.

This bloke stopped me in the street brandishing five 10p coins in his hand and asked me whether I had 50p; I checked my pockets, found a 50p coin and was waiting for him to make the exchange. I checked that was what he wanted to change and he replied that "I was asking for 50p extra!". I told him that I needed this for my shopping which is true and walked away. This really pissed me off because there have been many occasions when I have asked to change coins and this can only lead to people being less co-operative.

Labels: Beggars, Begging, London