"Charity" Exhibitionist?

Tweet

No! It's not something perverted. It's something I experienced first hand on my way to work. This GOT to be my most unforgettable experience with people who ask for alms/financial aid inside a public transportation. I’m sure those who are from Philippines can attest and relate to what I’m saying. Kids or adults selling sweets, wiping shoes with dirty rags (in some cases slippers or sandals. They don’t really care anyway), car window washers, those who are selling charms or what we call as “anting-anting” and a lot more. Commonly, these people ride the commuters’ jeeps or buses to ask for financial aids. Being a regular commuter myself, I’m used to these and I THOUGHT I’ve seen every “tactics” or “styles” there are to ask for alms. I was wrong… Just this morning, on my way to work, I had this experience from a lady selling charms. She boarded the jeep around Quiapo area and me, being the luckiest passenger in the world is sitting nearest the exit, she sat next to me. I think she got those black ones from Quiapo. I was wearing my earphones (as usual) and wasn’t able to hear every word she’s saying. She then unceremoniously plopped a charm on my lap then started asking for alms. Take note here: The woman’s healthy. She’s fat even. She can work. She’s properly dressed not like those “taong grasa” or beggars we commonly see. Most of her lines are “Ate, maawa na kayo sa akin… Di pa ako kumakain… Nagugutom na ako…” (Please have mercy… I haven’t eaten and I’m so hungry) and “Ate, kunin mo na itong anting-anting. Maswerte ito. Mamamatay ako pag ‘di ka suswertehin dyan.” (Please buy my charm. It’s really lucky. I’d die if you won’t get lucky after getting my charm.) Since I had my earphones on, she kept removing it from my ear but I kept putting it back that’s why I can hear just a gist of what she’s saying. She even kept rubbing my arm and shoulder to get my attention. Please don’t get me wrong though. I do give alms but this time I decided not to since the woman’s physically healthy (I’m not sure of her mental state though). I honestly think she can work and she haven’t said anything about being sick or having kids. She was crying and wailing but there are no tears coming out of her eyes. Since she kept bugging me (and I mean endlessly BUGGING me), the passengers whom I made eye contact with kept shaking their heads at me indicating me to “ignore her” or “don’t give her anything”. Since I won’t be buying her charms, I calmly said “Ate, di talaga ako bibili..” (Ms., I really won’t be buying these) and handed the charm back to her (nicely, FYI) but she kept on placing it back on my lap. One time I placed it on the empty space between us and she forcefully placed it back on my lap, telling me not to ignore her item and it will REALLY bring me luck. Along the way, she kept saying "Ate maawa na kayo sa akin.." (Please have mercy on me) then she lifted her shirt up, then displayed her boobs! She was wearing bras so she fished her boobs there! She showed (take note, showed not flashed) her boobs to me. I was shocked and judging my fellow passengers’ reactions, they were also shocked. Take note people, this was around 8AM in the morning. She kept on saying the same line again and again, crying (or at least trying to) as she showed her boobs. I still have my earphones on so I wasn’t able to catch what she’s saying so I checked on her boobs (well, I’m also a woman anyway and not the dirty type of “checked”) to see if she went through surgeon or if there are any traces of breast cancer or something but nothing. Her boobs are in perfect normal shape (she’s gifted in fact, if you get what I mean). There were around 5 guys and 2 girls in the jeep, including me. She then stood up and walked at the middle isle, showing her boobs to all. I can see that the passengers are getting pretty irritated by then. Seeing that no one is planning to give her anything, the woman shouted “PARA MAMA! Mga walang puso!" (Stop this vehicle! Heartless people!) and stepped off the jeep. She got off around post office area. The driver commented something like “Aba. Ikaw pang galit di ka na nga nagbayad." (Huh? You’re the one who didn’t paid any fare and you’re angry?) Of course, she became our conversation topic that morning. I think the woman had mental disorder or is really desperate over something. If I was in my beeyotch-mode at that time, I would reply “Hindi effective good luck charm na binebenta mo kasi ngayon pa lang, minalas na ako..." (Your charm’s not effective. You’re still selling it to me and I already had bad luck). There are passengers who are itching to get a pic of the woman but eventually decided not to since they feel that it’s wrong. I also decided to do anything to agitate the lady since I really don’t have any idea on what state of mind she’s in.