Monday, 2 January 2012

What would you have done ?

Display in the Charles Darwin Centre
Our granddaughter has been staying with us for the past week and we took her back to Shrewsbury today to catch the train back to her home just the other side Chester.  We were quite early and arranged to meet back at the car park in an hour to drive her to the station. Sixteen year olds just love to shop.
It was grey and wet and the wind chilled right through to my bones. Not many folks braving it out. Most of the shops were closed (or closed down)  except for the clothes sales desperados and Waterstones. 'New Year Bank Holiday' and all that.  I trudged up the bank, past the Square towards Wyle Cop. A young girl ( probably the age of my grand daughter) came towards me on a motobility scooter and stopped right by me. She was very thin and not dressed too well. She looked straight at me and said quietly, 'Please can you give me some money so that I can have something to eat?' So I did - well actually only the price of a sandwich. She stood up on the scooter, put the bits of silver into her jeans pocket and trundled off. Was I sucker Number One? Or should I have given her more?  I don't know - the pain in her eyes somehow haunted me. And then as I walked back through the Charles Darwin Centre there was a ring fenced fake snow and Polar bears Christmassy sort of display. What amazed me were the amount of coins thrown over into it - hundreds of them just lying there.
Should I have given her more money? Should I have ignored her and just walked on by?
'What would you have done?'
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23 comments:

  1. Unknown2 January 2012 at 12:24

    Afraid I must have confused you Molly. My visitors are on their way back to Florida...I'm buried under a mountain of laundry!

    Sister V always tells me, in these situations, to ask yourself the question "What would Love do?"

    I think Love would have done exactly what you did...given her some money and then fretted over whether you were being duped or not generous enough.

    You have a kind heart Molly.

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  2. Anonymous2 January 2012 at 12:28

    I would have walked over to a restaurant with her and bought her a sandwich.

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  3. Molly2 January 2012 at 12:38

    J what am I like. How lovely to see your precious family. I wish them a safe journey back. Sister V is very wise and I'm going to remember those little gems of wisdom.
    Delores - only one small supermarket open, quite a few streets away and I suppose I just trusted that she would buy food of some sort - I hope she did.

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  4. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe2 January 2012 at 14:07

    I never question anyone who says they need money for food. I give them what I can. Helping them is on me, and how they spend the money is on them. It is up to both of us to do the right thing.

    Of course, you did the what was compassionate and kind. Molly. You are a good person.

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  5. Tom Stephenson2 January 2012 at 14:23

    I would have either given her nothing; given her the same as you; or given her more. I hope that helps.

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  6. Claire2 January 2012 at 16:25

    Hey Molly, I think you definitely did the right thing and I think it's sensible that you give just enough money to buy food........

    I would've done the same and if she was duping me well I'm not out of pocket a small fortune just a few coins.
    I remember once in Melbourne an elderly man of dubious character, obviously living on the street asked for some money one night. I handed over half a pizza which was left over from our dinner. It was fresh, still warm, he took it and turned to walk away. As I watched he put it on the ground and kept walking..........may be he didn't like anchovies on his pizza, but I suspect he was after a beverage to go with it!!

    Claire :}

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  7. The Kramer Angle2 January 2012 at 16:52

    I would have done the same!

    Happy new year!

    Gail

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  8. Ms. Becky2 January 2012 at 17:32

    Oh Molly. you truly have a kind heart.
    I just never know. Times are tough. I consider myself a compassionate person and want to help whenever and wherever I'm able. But I don't want to enable anyone either. If the money is going for food that's wonderful, but I don't like to think that it would instead be used to purchase alcohol or drugs - the very thing that may be the underlying cause for the need for charity. I think we all want to be charitable, but there are those who will exploit that too. I just don't know. I feel you did the right thing. If she needed more, she will find it. Happy new year to you my friend.

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  9. Susan Heather2 January 2012 at 18:40

    Happy New Year Molly - I think I would have done the same as you - no, I am sure I would - and wondered afterwards whether I had been duped.

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  10. Cro Magnon2 January 2012 at 21:22

    I can't resist a good beggar either, but I may have wondered if she hadn't just half-inched the scooter!

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  11. Chris3 January 2012 at 01:23

    I take the view that it's better to give and then regret it than to regret not giving anything.

    Anyone who is desperate enough (or brazen enough) to ask for money from complete strangers probably needs help in some way or other.

    Well done you for giving.

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  12. carole johnston3 January 2012 at 11:51

    I would have done the same thing..and wondered how she had a little scooter..but still i would not have settled with ease if I did not give her the money for food.

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  13. jane3 January 2012 at 12:41

    I think you responded instinctively - but I haven't seen this person around the town on a scooter - I must say it is difficukt to know whether they are genuine always - Happy New Year to you two out there - xx

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  14. Olive3 January 2012 at 13:23

    I would have given her money or escorted her to a sandwich shop and bought her food and saw that she ate it and did not drink it or shoot it up. But I am a cynical old prison nurse who has dealt with far too many drug addicts and that is one reason I left because I feared I was losing every ounce of compassion I ever had. You did a very good deed, do not doubt yourself.

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  15. Linda Tunnell3 January 2012 at 13:45

    Somewhere in the Bible it says "were all beggars" and it's not for us to decide if someone needs it or not. So, you did good!

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  16. John Going Gently3 January 2012 at 14:39

    I would have bought her a sandwich and WATCH her eat it! x

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  17. A Heron's View4 January 2012 at 15:43

    I would have given her money or have taken her to food hall & then to the Oxfam for warm clothing.

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  18. Friko5 January 2012 at 04:26

    I don't know, she was probably fine, really, 'just a beggar', but I'd have given her something too. Just to be on the safe side.

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  19. Bernard5 January 2012 at 12:23

    I can remember...years back, when I worked in Acton, near Ealing Broadway.
    I used to shop in Ealing at lunchtime.
    Just outside the station, on the ground sat a fellow with a dog, begging for money - for I suppose -food.
    I watched as a lady reached from her bag and put a tin of dog-food down in-front of them.
    If looks could kill, then I saw it.
    There I saw a kind gesture - but not what was expected.
    "Money is the rot of all evil".
    Molly dear, You did what your heart told you to.
    Bless you....Bernard. xx

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  20. Bernard5 January 2012 at 12:27

    Dam my keyboard!
    That should have read "Root of all evil".
    Well, if it's not the keyboard it's the red wine!

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  21. Donna8 January 2012 at 16:53

    I would have done as you did Molly. You can't control WHAT is done with the money, but how do you live with yourself if it's really food she needed and you turned her away?
    You have a soft heart...good for you!!

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  22. Victoria8 January 2012 at 19:08

    I think helping someone is never wrong, be it the price of a sandwich or food for a week...in that moment someone asked for your help and you responded kindly and that's all that matters. You didn't judge her, so don't judge yourself.
    Happy New Year Molly...

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  23. Amy Saia9 January 2012 at 12:16

    It was very nice of you to give her the money, and she should have said thank you. But who knows? Maybe she was prideful . . . You certainly shouldn't feel bad. You have a sweet heart.

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