Better late than never (seriously, why does my office computer's boot cycle seem to get longer every fucking day?)
I'm not in the best of moods (what's new?) as I know I'm going to have to work like an ancient Hebrew slave this week. Combine this with the fact that I missed (what sounds like) a good bash last night for the sake of a shambolic and not-very-well-paid gig and coming the closest I ever have to telling a beggar to fuck off, and I really can think of a lot of places I'd rather be at the moment.

But hey, at least I didn't have to catch the tube or bus into work today. Some small mercy, I guess.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:29, 5 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I 100% genuinely misread this as
'shambolic and not-very-well-paid gig and coming out of the closet'
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:30, Reply)

Me too.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:32, Reply)

Hahahahaha!

( girlinthehole, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:32, Reply)

I thought Crow was trying to find his way back in to the closet.

(Cave Duck, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:32, Reply)

Gosh we are all under a malaise of some sort or another.
What we need is someone like Chompy to arrive and cheer us all up.
( girlinthehole, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:31, Reply)

Hahaha
And this is funny because...
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:33, Reply)

I'm very witty.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:36, Reply)

I hope the day improves
Sorry to hear you're not having a good time (again) Just think how close you're to finish.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:33, Reply)

tell us about the beggar
what did he do wrong?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:33, Reply)

He was choosey

( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:34, Reply)

Oh, don't get me started on the choosey ones...
Ever had someone ask you if they can borrow two quid to catch a bus home? I've been caught off-guard in a charitable mood before now and reached into my back pocket and fish around for a couple of quid only for the bastards to start examining the contents of my hand and saying, "ooh yeah, four quid should do it."

You asked for two pounds, you cunt, why don't I just open my fucking wallet as well and let you help your ungrateful fucking self?
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:40, Reply)

You mug
I always say "Sorry mate" and walk by. Best thing is I'm not even sorry!
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:43, Reply)

London desensitises one to the plight of beggars somewhat.
The ones that walk through the tube carriages make me fucking angry.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:46, Reply)

Quite. Maybe they wouldn't need "a bit of change for a cuppa"
if they hadn't already blown what they had on a fucking travelcard.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:51, Reply)

i saw one with a filthy baby round her neck once, begging
she was holding up a card that said "from somalia, please help"

as she got off the train, some guy opposite said in a loud essex accent, "she should just be fucking glad she's not there any more, innit".

i was really horrified and shocked. i mean, NOBODY speaks on the tube.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:56, Reply)

hahah

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:58, Reply)

Haha
She does sound like she works off the same template as the beggars in Brussels - every beggar I passed seemed to be a woman in a shawl carrying a baby and a paper coffee cup with some coins in it. I honestly thought it was the same woman drifting round the city until I turned one corner and bumped into about three or four of them waving their paper cups at me. Do the Belgians offer a standard issue "begging kit" replete with shawls, babies and paper cups?
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 11:02, Reply)

At least
he didn't reject half a pizza because it had pinneaple.

The other day in Madrid, a guy was asking for 1 euro to take the bus, and I didn't want to give him because he was really drunk. Then, I saw him askin, begging the bus driver to let him in and go home, as he didn't have any way to go, and please, it was cold on the street and a long walk to get there. So I got on the bus, gave the driver a euro and told him to give a ticket to the guy. Go out of the bus, walk a couple of steps, see the bus going past me, and then I hear the guy, back on the street, shouting at the driver for not letting him go home! The bastard driver! And he kept my euro too!
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:45, Reply)

On my way out of the venue
a little miffed at how much effort had gone in for how little money and burdened with a bass in one hand and an amp in the other, I was not really in the mood to be accosted by some guy in a wheelchair asking if I could spare any change. Normally, I find, when you explain to them that no, sorry, you don't have any, they go away. This one looked at me in an earnest and slightly affronted fashion and said,
"It does come back on you, you know."

I beg your pardon? You asked me if I could spare any change, not whether I wanted an accompanying lecture on morality and fucking karma. Couple that with the arrogance with which you present your case for why you have an automatic entitlement to a cut of the money I worked for and, wheelchair or not, you're asking for a smack in the fucking mouth.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:37, Reply)

You should have slashed his tyres and shat in his lap.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:39, Reply)

A reasoned response

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:41, Reply)

You should have pointed out that in that case his current prediciment was probably his fault.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:41, Reply)

One of those events where you walk away and half an hour later think
"Bugger, it would have been really sharp to have said..."
and believe me, that was probably the best one that occurred to me.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:45, Reply)

"Wow, what kind of bastard were you then?"
*makes notes*
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:45, Reply)

What?
I've had some telling me that a couple of euros wasn't enough and how did I live if I knew nothing about the cost of life. I felt always like asking for my money back, but was too scared to do it.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:47, Reply)

Crow, lovely, I did miss you last night, I really wanted to meet you.
Come to the Manc bash and all will be well. Or I'll catch up with you at some other point.
(Poppet some assembly required., Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:41, Reply)

On balance, I think I would have done better to have gone to the bash instead.
Unfortunately, the "working like an ancient hebrew slave" bit is probably going to extend to the weekend as well. (Not definite, but sod's law and previous experience suggest a high probability) So we shall have to catch up at some other point - by all means give us a shout next time you're passing through London.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 29 Nov 2010, 10:48, Reply)