Professional Beggars
Beggars are everywhere. On the street, at the suq, wandering through the cafes, squatting at the mosques on Fridays, etc. The usual offering is a one dirham coin, or 50 centimes (1/2 dirham), or whatever coin one has. Some beggars are handicapped, some are ill, some are simply poor.
We have learned that there are real beggars and professionals (panhandlers). My friend Sammy told me two stories about panhandlers.
In Casablanca, the city rounded up street beggars and established a charity house so that they could have a bed, food and training for work. One middle-aged woman yelled and shouted that she didn't want to stay there; she wanted out. The authorities questioned her and found out that she owned a house! They went to the house and found that it was rented out. Then they found out that she owned another house, also rented out. In the end of their investigation, it was discovered that she owned 4 houses, one of them in another city!
In Agadir, Sammy would ride daily the city bus to and from the fishport. Everyday, there was a poor-looking beggar standing inside, walking up and down the aisle, crying out in a loud voice, "allah, allah! Give and you will receive merit for heaven!" Because Sammy rode the bus regularly, he knew this beggar by sight. At the fishport, the beggar got off and would beg at the fish docks. Every time he was given a fish in his bowl, he quickly hid it in a bag in his jacket, and then resumed his work with an empty bowl. Over a period of a day, he would collect enough fish for 2-3 meals. At the end of the day, he boarded the bus and headed home.
One day, Sammy and a Spanish friend were sitting at a cafe downtown. Across the room, they saw a nicely dressed man with glasses. Sammy stared at the man carefully. Something was very familiar about him. Sam said to his friend, "That man is a beggar on my bus." The friend, no, no way! I see him here frequently." Sam said, "OK, tomorrow let's go the fishport and I will show you this "fake beggar" there.
So, the next morning they went. And Sammy was correct! The Spanish fellow started at the beggar and recognized him as the nicely dressed man in the cafe!
We have learned that there are real beggars and professionals (panhandlers). My friend Sammy told me two stories about panhandlers.
In Casablanca, the city rounded up street beggars and established a charity house so that they could have a bed, food and training for work. One middle-aged woman yelled and shouted that she didn't want to stay there; she wanted out. The authorities questioned her and found out that she owned a house! They went to the house and found that it was rented out. Then they found out that she owned another house, also rented out. In the end of their investigation, it was discovered that she owned 4 houses, one of them in another city!
In Agadir, Sammy would ride daily the city bus to and from the fishport. Everyday, there was a poor-looking beggar standing inside, walking up and down the aisle, crying out in a loud voice, "allah, allah! Give and you will receive merit for heaven!" Because Sammy rode the bus regularly, he knew this beggar by sight. At the fishport, the beggar got off and would beg at the fish docks. Every time he was given a fish in his bowl, he quickly hid it in a bag in his jacket, and then resumed his work with an empty bowl. Over a period of a day, he would collect enough fish for 2-3 meals. At the end of the day, he boarded the bus and headed home.
One day, Sammy and a Spanish friend were sitting at a cafe downtown. Across the room, they saw a nicely dressed man with glasses. Sammy stared at the man carefully. Something was very familiar about him. Sam said to his friend, "That man is a beggar on my bus." The friend, no, no way! I see him here frequently." Sam said, "OK, tomorrow let's go the fishport and I will show you this "fake beggar" there.
So, the next morning they went. And Sammy was correct! The Spanish fellow started at the beggar and recognized him as the nicely dressed man in the cafe!
posted by Carl | 4:22 PM
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