Tuesday 8 December 2009

Tuesday, 08 December 2009

22:41
So I'm leaving the gym and it's been a good work-out. Pumping dem guns baby...

And I'm walking to the Tube station when this guy stops me. He's young but is dishevelled and a bit smelly.

He asks for money because he has forgotten his wallet at home. I have heard that excuse to beg before. And I have also heard the guy's accent before. He is South African.

I ask where he's from and he tells me he's from Durban. I ask him if he's okay and I ask him why he has no cash.

He came to London to earn some money but because of the way the economy's gone he has lost his job and is sometimes forced to beg. The benefits aren't enough to survive.

He has no friends because he's either abandoned them as he's too ashamed of his situation or they've returned to South Africa.

He's now living in a homeless hostel in Holborn. He comes to Swiss Cottage by bus to visit his girlfriend. "She's staying in a house around the corner."

She's not from South Africa but Eastern Europe. He says she's earning some money from time to time.

As far as his mum's concerned, her son is happily living in London. She doesn't know that he's actually homeless, alone and begging...

He doesn't speak to his dad - who probably wouldn't care anyway. And that's where this begins...


There is a plugin-thingy of an MP3 file on this page that may require a Quicktime download to play. It should work if you can see the play button. If you can't hear it, please let me know.

Whenever I see people begging I always think that it's a mother's child even though I never give.

It's even worse when you can picture their mum thinking that, although her son is 10,000 miles away, he is hopefully safe, healthy and warm.

Just like I know my mum hopes that I am.

10 comments:

Alfred said...

It sound bad family.

Robert said...

That was awfully nice of you Bobby...

Anonymous said...

i hope that made you feel better about yourself which is clearly why you chose to record this guy. poor fucking taste

Robert Cox said...

Anon: All giving is selfish. Welcome to the world.
And besides, you don't know the conversation that happened before I pushed the record button and you don't know what happened after I stopped the recording.
It's all showbiz so take your insults somewhere else. Tosser.

Anonymous said...

Je ne peux pas l'écouter :/

Stephen said...

Jesus H. I don't know that if I was in the same situation, I'd have been brave enough to stop and talk to the guy. Well done. That's compelling listening for any immigrant in London.

Jake said...

I can't see/hear the recording - what is it?

CMR said...

I love how you share mate
thanks it was great

Robert Cox said...

Stephen & Craig - I'm such a loser I will talk to anyone, given half the chance.


And if you can't hear it - I don't know what to suggest. It's am embedded MP3... it works on all the computers I've tried.
Do you need to download quicktime or something?
I dunno what to suggest!?
(Anyone else know?)

firstimpre55ion said...

Update your Flash if you can't see/hear the mp3!

That is pretty awesome of you to give money to someone outright like that. And me, despite being fUnemployed myself at the moment, I did give some lady $5 a few months back thanking my lucky stars I'm still on my feet.

I commend you Bobby, despite that Anon fucktard whom shouldn't even be calling you out in the first place! Jerk would have probably put his nose in the air and snubbed the guy...