No to beggars!!!!!

I have been averting beggars for a long time now. I just never attend to them. I dont think I have always been like this.(though I do give 'alms' to eunuches just in order to prevent being subjected to their touches and a witness to immoral acts which they are never ashamed of performing in public!) Couple of weeks ago my teacher at english class was telling 'we should help people in need. even our small contributions may bring a day's food to someone. Don't you buy 5-stars and ice creams? Can't you donate the amount you 'waste' in those items to a poor?'

Previously I would look at a beggar then decide whether the person really ought to beg or its just the ease of job which makes him beg, then only i would give him or deny him respectively. So what transformed a philanthrope to a stonehearted person? I overheard my dad once telling to mom that only the person who earns has the right to do public service.(it was in regards to some 'chanda' which mom had to give to local boys for some saraswati puja or similar stuff.) And it really struck me big time. He was absolutely correct, its he who earns working his heart out, who are we to do 'daan-dharm' of that money?(and rise a step closer towards heaven!)

Following that whenever i encountered a beggar his words would ring in my mind-'only the person who earns has the right.............'.So i dint even pay attention to any beggar that day onwards.And i felt rightly so.

Couple of days ago when I was coming out of a sweet and jalpaan griha i came acroos yet another. He appeared to be in his early 80s, was dark skinned, sported thick glasses and was frail. He confronted me and stated his 'raam katha' but my dad's quote overpowered his weak voice.I kick started my bike and released clutch it surged forward crushing the old man's hopes mercilessly. But I,hell, dont know where from a voice instructed brakes to be applied-'Dont you buy 5-stars and ice creams?' Even before the bike could come to stop the beggar had sprinted back and resumed his 'raam katha' and all what God would do if I helped him. I peeked into my purse, I dint have any change.All I had were few 500 notes and a Rs.10 note.

'Baba change nahin hain. phir kabhi.'

'arre dekh na beta'

'nahin hai toh kahaan se doon?'

Then he splayed his 'earning hand'  forward and said

'Beta ye 6-7 rupaiye hai ye le le jo hai wo de de'

Waah! I was astonished. How can he make a deal? Then I thought not a big deal, let me hand him over Rs.10 note and take wat all he has.

'ye lo.'

believe me before my 'lo' was over he had 'confiscated' the note and moved couple of steps backward with the same nimbleness he had shown to get back to my bike!

Ah! Feeling cheated I cursed my mam then myself and then the beggar who 'ironically' was still blessing me from a distance.

Now thanks to that bloody cheat no voice whomsoever is going to overpower my dad's for a long time to come. And am a deaf ear to all the begagars again and more importantly to lectures on helping them!