Though I have nothing but empathy and a few tears for the
poor, I can’t help but be intrigued by the recent trends in begging that have
quite changed since I first started observing the methods and techniques used in
the profession. Yes, that’s quite right. I wrote and I meant ‘trends’ in
begging. The 21st century has, I've observed, brought a number of
changes in the styles with which begging is carried out. I talk not of those
who are forced to do so because of circumstances one well understands, but I
talk of those who are capable and still opt to beg. I’m writing about the
Professional Beggar.
There are a number of marked changes in the way this
profession is carried out by these professionals in modern times and after
intense research (roaming around and chilling), I've come to the conclusion
that these beggars are developing a system to systematically get money from
those who are sympathetic to the plight of the people who are really in need.
This, in turn makes them cons and not beggars. But since there seems to be no
differentiation at the current time, I've made up the term, ‘Professional
Beggars.’ Oh, I can make up terms because I have poetic licence. Hope Arnie
doesn't ask me to defend my statement against the poor of the nation because
the country wants to know what the hell Poetic Licence is, just because he
doesn't.
Well, now getting to the point. The first change in trend
can be seen at the financial level,
which is the whole point of begging in the first place. These professionals do
not accept small change anymore. If you give them anything less than a ten
rupee note, they will not accept it. Yes, crazy, I know. But that seems to be
the truth. One rupee, two rupees and five rupees hold no value for them anymore.
Inflation you see!
Then there is the language.
These professionals have started picking up English and in a big city like
Ahmedabad, one can routinely find these professionals begging in English and
that too not very politely. Moving on with the times, you see.
Even the attitude
of these professionals is noteworthy. They apparently seem to think that it is
their fundamental right to receive alms from society. They believe that they
are entitled to the hard-earned money of the people who really work for it. And
as mentioned above, nothing less than a ten rupees note. I've actually seen one
of these professional throw a couple of coins in the face of the gullible youth
who gave it to him. Poor guy was aghast! Oh, and yeah, they sometimes keep
talking to someone else when somebody is reaching out to give them money. Talk
about lack of professional courtesy.
Another trend that is fascinating is that when a kind soul
offers them food instead of money, they flatly refuse. Now, I guess they
haven’t heard the adage, ‘Something is better than nothing.’ They also want the
right of choice. Firstly, they have
no intention to work. Secondly, they should not be even getting the food that
is being offered. And still they are stony-faced when offered food. They just
up and turn away muttering swearwords at the person who is feeling sorry for
them.
Last, but not the least, I come to the point of the religion-mongers who attempt to sell
their God to anyone and everyone in the middle of the road. Now one might say
that this is not a new trend. Agreed. But what is new is that these people then
mutter curses and invoke the wrath of the Gods upon those who refuse them alms.
Now that is novel! That didn't used to happen before.
Now, as mentioned above, these patterns have been carefully
studied by yours truly and I hope that one day, with society getting smarter to
this nonsense, this profession will delve into insignificance.
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