i never realized there's a value to the coins one gives as alms to beggars until last night. i was stepping outside a mall in manila which i visited to shop for a couple of shirts when an elderly woman called me out and asked for alms. i reached into my pocket, found a peso and three 25-centavo coins, went to her direction and put the treasure on her palms.
hardly had i made a 90-degree turn than she asked me what did i give her. she made a remark to the effect that the coins were not even enough to buy her a cup of coffee. i was out of my wits.
she reached for my hand and returned the coins, accompanied by yet another remark that i was spoiling her hand with such a stingy donation. i was dumbfounded.
i grew up thinking that beggars can't be choosers but this woman, who was probably five years older than my mother, did not fit the description.
her words hurt me but honestly i didn't know how to react, i just let her slip out of my sight. turning to myself, i felt terribly sorry. when i recovered, i comforted myself saying i'm not rich to
give everything away.
what hurt me really was the fact that the few coins were precious to me. i came to that mall because it was on sale and i could buy more items with only so much cash. i never meant to be stingy, i'ts all i had. i have a couple of one-hundred peso bills in my wallet, but there's another day to think of.
i was asking myself - would she react differently if i gave her a bigger bill? her attitude to my small donation was a giveaway.
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