Chill Connection

I take a walk to the park on most mornings and on my way there I have to cross a traffic junction. As far I can recall there has always been this old frail woman who sits in the corner soliciting alms. She has this plaintive pathetic look which follows you as you cross and that look simply melts your heart.

I, however, have some rather firm ideas about never giving money to beggars and I really couldn't think of any other way of helping her. So when on a cold winter morningI saw her all huddled up and shivering in her usual threadbare sari, I knew right away what I had to do. Later that day I went over to the flea market and picked up cheap but warm second hand sweater. This I gave to her the next morning. I thought that was a nice thing to do. So the very next day imagine my surprise when I saw this woman still in her threadbare sari, just as cold and shivering as before. She told me that her son had taken the sweater away from her. I said, that's fine, I will buy her another one. She said what's the point? someone else will take it. Who cares about an old widow keeping warm.

As I walked away from her my shoulders felt very heavy, as if a collective guilt of the uncaring humanity was weighing it down. I changed my route so I never had to cross her again.

A few months later I was at a gathering and the talk turned to beggars and I related my story of this old woman at the junction. A friend who works with street children told me not to worry too much. She said that its a well known fact in her circle how the beggars simply look forward to winters. They sit out there all cold and shivering and melting our hearts. She told me that all beggars make several times their daily take in the winters. The colder it is the better, the more they shiver and the more money they make. She also told me that's why the old woman would never have worn my sweater even if she was the only person left in the world.