Beggars & choosers
On the way home this evening a beggar approached me. Not the first time it happened, my bus stop is located next to the central station and that's where they hang. Anyway, got me to think about that they are polite. When you say no to their question if you have any coins, they wish you a good evening. I am fairly certain, they think something completely different (like you bastard or similar) but still.
Reminds me of Oslo. For the uneducated readers (i.e. everybody outside Scandinavia...oh gee, this is gonna give me some shit!) Oslo is the capital of Norway. Norway is supposedly one of the richest countries in the world. They have billions in their oil reserve. But I have never come across so many beggars as there.
The walk from the central station to the palace in Oslo (Karl Johan - the street) is the worst. You just cannot walk there in peace. They (the beggars) will approach you, and no way will they never ever wish you anything pleasant when you turn them down.
Mind you, the homeless in Norway get an allowance for a mobile phone. Just because they do not have a home. Makes you kinda reluctant to support their lifestyle, right?
So in order to make some kinda conclusion on the headline. Guess I'm a chooser, not a beggar...and I do have a mobile phone. Which I pay for all by myself :)
Reminds me of Oslo. For the uneducated readers (i.e. everybody outside Scandinavia...oh gee, this is gonna give me some shit!) Oslo is the capital of Norway. Norway is supposedly one of the richest countries in the world. They have billions in their oil reserve. But I have never come across so many beggars as there.
The walk from the central station to the palace in Oslo (Karl Johan - the street) is the worst. You just cannot walk there in peace. They (the beggars) will approach you, and no way will they never ever wish you anything pleasant when you turn them down.
Mind you, the homeless in Norway get an allowance for a mobile phone. Just because they do not have a home. Makes you kinda reluctant to support their lifestyle, right?
So in order to make some kinda conclusion on the headline. Guess I'm a chooser, not a beggar...and I do have a mobile phone. Which I pay for all by myself :)
posted by Annika @ 11:42 PM
2 Comments:
At 1:50 AM,
Anonymous said…
I always thought the beggars in Zurich were pretty clever. they know they're gonna end up asking many of the same people again next time so if they're really friendly and polite we feel a bit mean that we didnt give them any money and are more likely to give them something next time. or maybe they're just not as desperate as some other beggars in other countries. although that doesnt explain the rudeness in Norway - but the fact that they are of course Norwegians maybe does ;)
At 7:26 PM,
Annika said…
You've got a point there...
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