Just when I was making my way to the Temple yesterday, just to thank the deities once more at Bugis Kwan Im Temple since it's around my way home, (thinking to start doing so regularly like at least once a month, funny since I always declare myself as agnostic); I met an old guy on my way. White hair, probably in his late 50s but still looking healthy with that straight upright figure, although he claimed to be 65. He asked me for some spare change for his dinner and took out his senior citizen concession pass just to convince me that he's old. He then began all the marketing stuff: promoting how poor he is, without family and a job to support him.
I was about to surrender to my naivety and he nearly earned my empathy (like what if I become like him, stuffs like that) before he messed up and mistakenly took out the a ticket covering his concession card, which look like from Singapore Pools. I lost my trust and wanted to go away. Out of goodwill I expressed my intention of buying him packed food in the condition that I'll have to accompany him buy. He began with all this excuse that he do not have his dinner early (it was 7pm and he claimed that he always has his lunch at 11pm or so)
And I thought to myself "What the F, you are begging for food and you are this choosy?"
I left him after rejecting him politely and then he let me go and stood there, probably waiting for another innocent prey, to spare him some dinner or probably more money to spend in the Singapore Pools. And he does it just like 20 metres away from the Temple. This is maybe due to the better probability of getting good souls who would normally buy tissue paper from pitiful handicapped fellas (which is justifiable), but what a shame for him
He definitely look strong enough to work as waiters or whatever job that does not require qualification and that ignores retirement age, such a shame that he has to beg in the capacity of that health.
The temple was already closed at 6.15pm and then I went back home.
4 comments:
..my intention of buying him packed food in the condition that I'll have to accompany him buy.. wah,tsk tsk..
isn't it fair enough? he begged for food, I intended to buy for him. If I gave him money, he would have probably spent it on another ticket
amazed by the length of your thought..my thought would be limited to give money or not, do i have small change to spare.. gw rasa i won't even think of giving him let's say, the food i have in my bag, apalagi nemenin beli dinner.. haha uda ky u ngajak ribut with him just because he got SP tix with him
gw pna liat ah bengs ah lians ngasih duit the tukang jual tissue, poor old lady, but they insisted not taking the tissues..LGMH..
I am even amazed myself why I had to respond to him. Such a healthy guy begging. He didnt even look as old as table or plate cleaners that we see at hawker centres.
Apparently it was either I entertain to his beg, or use that as a "polite rejection", since he begged with the basis of hunger. In the end, yes, I should have not bothered talking to him.
Of course those selling tissues, especially old ladies, especially disabled ones are like super unfortunate people so it's normal. This guy just begged without anything, I think it's illegal in Singapore (not really sure so correct me if Im wrong). Probably that's why those ladies sell tissue.
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