Encounters with tramps and beggars

[gary r]

I'm sure most of us have been asked for money from a shabby beggar or tramp.here is an amusing tale.whilst queueing up for the cashpoint outside a supermarket in London a couple of wino's were begging for money!
As I went to use the machine another wino came out the supermarket with a paper bag with a bottle of wine in it,the aggressive beggar at the cashpoint grabbed the bag from his mate and took a large swig from the bottle,he then spat the whole lot out all over the floor "what the F+%! have you bought you c#%#" he took the bottle from the bag,and it turned out his mate had wasted all their cash on a large bottle of olive oil !!!!!!!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

cold pressed organic extra virgin I trust?

 

[Arjimlad]

Poor old Anthony Worrall-Thompson is finding it hard to adjust to his new life then !

 

[gbb]

I was approached by what looked like a vagrant in the town centre last year. He wanted to know how to get to Northampton. I pointed out a route that'd take him towards the main route out of town, that gave him a 5 mile walk before he got to the edge of town. He looked gutted, his feet were killing him, he'd been walking for miles already apparently, he looked a bit of a mess. He asked for, and recieved a ciggie, he said he was gagging for one.
Off he went...
I did my bit in town and as driving home, i passed him making his way as i'd explained.

Do you sometimes feel very fortunate in that moment ? Youve got everything compared with some people.
I stopped, offered him a fiver to get some fags...and told him to tell me to sod off if i was offending him.
He politely accepted...

 

[CopperCyclist]

I was approached by what looked like a vagrant in the town centre last year. He wanted to know how to get to Northampton. I pointed out a route that'd take him towards the main route out of town, that gave him a 5 mile walk before he got to the edge of town. He looked gutted, his feet were killing him, he'd been walking for miles already apparently, he looked a bit of a mess. He asked for, and recieved a ciggie, he said he was gagging for one.
Off he went...
I did my bit in town and as driving home, i passed him making his way as i'd explained.

Do you sometimes feel very fortunate in that moment ? Youve got everything compared with some people.
I stopped, offered him a fiver to get some fags...and told him to tell me to sod off if i was offending him.
He politely accepted...

He'd have spent it on drugs.

 

[gary r]

When they ask for money I refuse but sometimes offer to buy a sandwich or a coffee.the last time I did this the tramp said he took 5 sugars in his tea !

 

[gbb]

He'd have spent it on drugs.

Always a possibility, but he made no request at any time for anything other than a cigarette (i had one lit as he approached me), he simply asked for directions, but did look down and out.
He was humble, thats what stuck a chord with me. Polite, quiet, thankful for the cig and directions and didnt ask for anything else.

Funnily enough, the carpark he approached me in is one i use regularly, just a short distance from the train station. You frequently get approached by 'scruffy gits' who ask if you've a couple of quid, they're just short of the right money to get their train to blah blah....oh yeah, heard it before. I always politely refuse.

Now then, another one, funny this time (well, funny-ish)
On holiday in Spain, really nice hotel. Every night this tired looking middle aged lady (Romanian it turned out) positioned herself where she couldnt be seen by the traffic police or the hotel lobby,...begging.
For a day or so i ignored her, one particually hot evening she was sweating profusly, i offered her a bottle of water i was carrying...but never any money. We smiled and even had some small talk at one stage, but no money.
She always appeared to be tired, hot, faint, downbeat as she sat there, hand out to people passing, the sympathy factor of course. Then one morning i saw her about a mile from the hotel, striding purposefully along with vigour and vim towards the hotel....
'Look at that' i said to the wife....'look at her go, you wouldnt think it was the same woman, she's probably worried to death someones going to pinch her spot' We chuckled about here for ages.