I've always been split on the issue of beggars. I do sometimes consider if I lost everything and was forced to live on the street how I'd feel about begging for money. And sometimes I'm angered by people using that old dodge "Can you spare a pound to help me catch the bus home?", which someone tried on me today. Thing is, I'm pretty sure that I can tell the difference between someone who is genuinely unable to get home and someone who wants some money to spend on booze or fags or drugs. The person asking me today was heading into the Job Centre for fucksake. If the beggar is busking I'm much more inclined to drop some change into the hat, the term busker is softer than beggar because they don't ask directly and they don't say how much they want. Teenage girls having a laugh and pretending to be in need of either "fake sponsorship" or money for a bus really annoys me, they're so fucking obvious. I have a friend who busks and can make fifty quid a day. At least he's working for it.
If someone asks me for money for not doing anything in future I am tempted to say something like "Yeah, I'll give you a quid for your jumper" just to see their reaction. What's wrong? I'm offering them a chance to redeem their dignity by exchanging money for something instead of money for nothing. Am I being harsh?
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