It’s been a really busy week at work and not only have I been doing my own job but also various things connected with my new one. I did get some very nice e-mails connected with the new job which did a lot to massage my ego, so that put me in a good mood. That helped in that later in the day I was waiting to cross the road and was looking to the right, the road cleared and I stepped into the road to walk across to a traffic island and collided very hard with a guy who had decided that instead of walking along on the pavement he would cut into the road right in front of me. He apologised and I didn’t say anything because it was one of those moments where you need a few moments to work out what actually happened. It rather hurt though!
While I was out for a wander on my lunch break a woman asked me for some directions so I pointed out where she needed me to go. Then about thirty seconds later another woman came up to me, who it has to be said looked a bit more dubious than the previous woman I had spoken to, but I stopped anyway and right from the beginning I could see the way the conversation was going to go and so I asked her (with a smile) if this was going to involve her asking for money and she said it was. She told me she was homeless and was just feeling so miserable in London and just needed some money to get away from the heat and get a coach to Eastbourne. I asked her how much she needed and she told me and for some reason that is still beyond me, I gave her the majority of the money she needed. She said she would pay me back and wanted to give me her mobile number and I told her it was fine and not to worry about it. I am just not the sort of person who gives money to homeless people, I also have that natural Londoner suspicion of anyone who looks slightly dodgy and normally steer clear of them. I also didn’t know if her story was genuine and if she would really spend it on the coach fare, but there was a part of me that felt inclined to believe her and thought that even if she was lying did it really matter if it lifted some of her gloom by a stranger speaking to her for a couple of minutes and giving her some money. I just told her that I hoped she had a nice time in Eastbourne, gave her a smile and a wave and walked off. Was it the right thing to do? I don’t know, but I like to think she made it to Eastbourne.
4 comments:
A very kind act, Miss. I hope she did get to Eastbourne...or Brighton at the very least.
Gorilla Bananas - Eastbourne is much more peaceful than Brighton, but I think some time by the coast is just what she needed.
Yes, you did the right and kind thing. Go with your gut; it wont be wrong. And she may, hopefully, pass that good deed on one-day.
There were loads of beggars in Brussels. Me and Mrs K kept our heads down and scurried on by. Dont like getting involved in a foreign country.
Someone I worked with always bought a beggar a sandwich and coffee. She was once outside Tesco's and the security guys were shoving on a homeless man. She went ape, created such a fuss, that in the end they allowed her to fill a basket of food for free for the man.
She helped the homeless because her brother lived on the streets for a while.
Kahless - I think had I walked off I would have been disappointed with myself at being very judgmental.
In another country I would definitely have walked on, but G did actually give some money to someone in Madrid.
I think that woman reminded me a bit of someone I know who is homeless and so it made me more inclined to help.
Getting a shopping basket of free food is impressive!
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