I had always heard of corporate begging but never had such
experience however I was the main act in a begging movie today.
Yesterday, I boarded a bus from CMS Outer Marina to Law School, Victoria
Island in Lagos; while we waited for the bus to fill a young man came to the
window and started his begging introduction.
“ Good morning Sir good morning Ma please
help me with 100naira In the name of God, I am going to Ajah and all I need is
just 100 to complete my transport fare. I am a student and have to meet up an
appointment I beg you in the name of God”.
I ordinarily would just wear my earphones
and blast out the plea for help, but again I considered him dressed in well
pressed shirt and I had never seen him beg there before (typically beggars have
selected bus stop they are attached to like glue).
It was a good day for me so I felt sorry
for him and handed him 500naira, he scurried away without a word of thank you.
I wasn’t looking for gratitude so I wasn’t upset at that slight. Now that I
think of it I remember a random man calling the begging guy a crook after I gave
him the money “that’s how they beg money up and down” he shouted. It drew
laughs from other passengers in the bus.
So this morning it felt like déjà vu when
I was sitting in a bus at the same motor park when I heard from the back .....“
Good morning Sir, Good morning Ma please help me with 100naira I beg you in the
name of God, I need to go to Ajah” as he kept repeating the line it was like a
bell going off in my head. I turned to the voice and behold it was the same
tall dark guy with neat shirt, he wears low cut hair but very dark as though he
painted his head with shoe polish. I took in a few deep breathes so I could
minister kind words to him from the angry pits of my loving heart, then I
called him to the my window and you need to have measured the speed at which he
got to my side, it was like flash, he even had watery eyeballs like Puss in
Boots.
“Can I give you an advice?” I said. He
raised his eyes to me expectantly like I would give him the keys to a loaded
bullion van ( I had 100naira aside to give him though) “Yes ma” he sadly
answered.
“Please whenever you go about begging do
not mention God’s name I gave you 500naira yesterday after you said the same
thing” He was taken aback that he was made but he just laughed and took off
before I could give him more ministration. But, trust passengers the few who
heard our small talk rained heaps of curses at his running frame.
I was honestly sad for the cunning man who
should be adding value to our great nation.
Comments
Post a Comment