A well-dressed mandarin-speaking man walks up to stop you, tells you he arrives from China to meet a relative/friend here to help him find a job, only to realise the friend/relative has left the country and will return only like in 2 days. Meanwhile, he has dropped his wallet and has no lodging and money for meals and ask you for merely $5!
2 months ago, i had this encounter and the minute i hear the dollar sign, i excused myself and walked away......an act that sent me down guilt spiral at least for the rest of the day......I shouldn't have listened to his story because what if it was real.....it was only $5 that he needed.....then what if the story is fake and he is just preying on my kindness...$5 is hell lot of money for doing nothing, even visually-impaired uncle has to sell tissues for 3 packets $1 and ever so many people reject him, and my foot reflexiologists gets only $10 from rubbing your feet for 1 whole hour! I couldn't stop thinking if i were really in those shoes would i get any help. Had i been unkind......
Last nite at Tiong Bahru Plaza, another well-dressed mandarin-speaking guy approached me. I was determined not to hear his story so i just pretended i couldn't speak mandarin. As i was collecting my car from the side road, i saw he had already cornered another victim. This lady had her purse in hand and i swear she had the same confused expression on her face as i had 2 months ago....should i or should i not? He went on the sob story and she finally relented, not before he walked away looking all victorious and she, confused, wondering if she had been ripped off!. I felt like driving towards her and yell to her "yes, you have been conned, run after him".
I didn't do it. He continued walking in the direction of Bt Ho Swee, i tailed him and watched as he mercilessly approached another 2 ladies (yes, only ladies, he would pass all the men!!! moron) . Thankfully these 2 ladies were not taken in. But he felt increasingly uneasy as he realised a black car was following him. When he finally turned to look over his shoulders and saw me armed with my handphone video camera ready to snap another attempt, he ran towards some HDB flats. When i stepped out of the car and looked in the direction he ran, he had vanished!
Bu yao gei woh zhai kan dao tah!
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5 comments:
I can't believe u even gave the story one day to decide it was fake! The guy was begging (illegal in Singapore, i think), otherwise called sponging, spanging, or in Americanese panhandling. I would have told him (1) Get lost or I'd seek the security guard on him, or (2)$5 wouldn't even begin to solve his problems. I actually did (2) when it happened to me in the US. So there!
Definitely a fake! Encountered a Chinese national who tried a similar trick on me at BKK airport. Said his wallet was stolen but his jacket was slit on the inside! To be fair, I've encountered Singaporeans who try to beg for bus fares too. Ignore them.
I am the type who'd get conned for bus money or coin to make phone call, because I am the type who's clumsy enough to get myself in the situation to need help, hahaha.
Your stupid sister
when pple ask me for money, my usual response is "go away". if i'm in a nicer mood, i'll ask why and offer to buy them food.
they never accept e food.
Yes, imp, i think the second option sounds good.
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