Beggars.....

This morning a young woman came to the front door, along with her small daughter, asking for money....I told her that I didn't have any, which is actually the truth as I've not been to the bank this week!  So she asked if I had any food as she has three small children to feed.

Well normally I send these people away empty handed as I've heard of several families here in our town where the husband is waiting in a bar and sends his wife and young children out to beg for money which they have to return to him in the bar, for him to buy more alcohol for himself.  One guy in particular has been seen outside the bar beating the crap out of his wife and daughter when they've come back empty handed.......

So I really hate to give them money anyway, and some of them don't even want food, they'll actually leave it in the kerb a few metres from the house!!!  But I felt for this young woman...and her child.  Both were clean and neatly dressed, they were polite and friendly...and muggings here fell for it! 

I gave her two large packets of soup and hope that she really will give it to her kids, if they are indeed hungry.

Of course hubby thinks I'm really silly and that these people 'borrow' kids to appeal to nutcases like me, and that now the whole world and his brother will be knocking at the door asking for stuff, and I'm sure he's right!  Actually I did get the same warning from one of the neighbours years ago when she told me that it was not a good idea to give any of them anything as they'll keep coming back. 

I guess I will have to take a chance!