Thursday 13 January 2011

Hot Charity

In these days where I am unemployed, and when I am waiting for the university term to resume, there isn't a whole lot that I can do. The furthest I went today was my local Co-op. It's probably the worst run shop I've ever been to, and it just so happens to be the nearest one to me. Despite it being a fairly big shop, I'm lucky if they have bread. I'm lucky if they have milk. I'm lucky if any of the food items are in date. I'm not even exaggerating. I once went in for cough syrup. They didn't have any, but handily, they had plenty of instant bread sauce in place of it, tucked in between the plasters and nail clippers. But I shouldn't complain. I mean it's not like anything could be done about it. I've never really seen a manager despite him/her being asked for many times by annoyed customers. And today I didn't really have any problems.

Another obscure reference for a title.
One of my favourite albums!
The only thing that really made me think was when I turned around to leave was a guy holding out a bucket, shaking it. Slightly surprised, I deposited my 20 pence change, and he gave me a nice grin and a sincere thank-you. Of course, although it was probably for a good cause, I didn't really ask who I was giving to. For all I knew, I could have been funding Nick Griffin's new jacuzzi. And that's the thing. Do people ever think, hey, I'm giving a homeless person a bowl of soup or whatever when they give to charity? I'd imagine so. But I do also imagine that people will shove some change in to make themselves feel a little bit better. Otherwise they'll go through a little guilt trip later as they buy some posh sausages in Marks & Spencer. And that was what happened for Live Aid, wasn't it? Everyone was quite happy to watch Freddie Mercury strut his stuff on live tv without bothering their arse with a donation. But then Bob Geldof turned from a lovable Irishman throwing a nice little event together into a drunken thug you'd meet in a dark alleyway somewhere in Dublin. "People are dying NOW. Give us the money NOW. Give me the money NOW" (not give me your fuckin' money as some incorrectly remember it). And then everybody felt a little bad and the donations rolled in. 

But I suppose if you give money, at the end of the day, you've done something to help. The only thing that really gets me is when people are given the opportunity to help others and don't bother.  Like people that don't bother giving blood despite having no real reason not to. I remember one time, having to phone for an ambulance for someone who was completely unconcious and had a bad head injury. The person that was with him kept asking people who clearly had phones to help. But of course they had a bus to catch. 

So, I suppose I'm coming across as an angsty student again. But I do get a little annoyed when people really do just care for themselves. Maybe help up that grumbling old git that's fallen over? Donate old clothes to the charity shop? Give blood? But at the very least thank me when I hold open the door for you and five of your pals. Christ.

13 comments:

  1. i always get mad at rude people

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  2. Why people don't already know simple mannerisms is beyond me. Liked your stuff ill follow you.

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  3. Man this is some real talk right here. This world needs more people like you that will bring about the need for a re-examination of their lives. Today, I was trying to recruit people to donate blood at our Blood Drive and many of the 18 year olds just didn't even want to do it even though it was obviously going go to a good cause.

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  4. I like this, following

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  5. People are too closed off from one another. We're taught to care about our little 'circle' of people that we know, and if anything bad happens to anyone else, well, shit happens.

    I remember once (a news show, perhaps?) seeing security footage of a homeless guy on the sidewalk, stabbed and bleeding to death, and people just literally stepping over him and walking away. Disgusting.

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  6. Haha nice stuff man, love it - keep it up and i'm following now! My blogs at: http://linkisnotdead.blogspot.com/

    Follow me back if you can, thanks!

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  7. Giving blood is cool, you get free biscuits and a free drink of orange or tea!

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  8. Dude regarding the last line, I get SO pissed off at that. So I always say loudly, YOU'RE WELCOME, that way when they say 'Huh? I didn't say thank you' I'm like 'Yeah I know....'

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  9. nice blog, just subbed to it.

    Make sure to follow mine at thewatchfanatic.blogspot.com

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  10. I like how the narrative of this entry flows, it's up there with one of those little 'point-of-view' BBC Magazine entries on the website, telling a little story and weaving in some contemplations.

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