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October 18, 2005
Am I Giving Or Buying?
Giving is supposed to be a good thing, right? Handed over all my loose change, a dollar-fifty, in exchange for a packet of tissue from an old lady at the Orchard underpass.
This is a ritual that I do almost every time I come across an aged or a handicap. But this time's different. As I was taking the packet of tissue from her hand, she stopped me and told me it's two dollars. I'm fifty cents short of "buying" a packet of tissue that I could get for thirty cents at a coffeeshop.
I was stunned. She just tried to exploit my compassion!
The last time I felt so lousy about giving was 6 years ago in San Francisco when a homeless told me the two dollars I gave him could not even get him breakfast at McDonald's.
Fucked up.
Posted by loganw at October 18, 2005 04:46 PM
Comments
I remember the old lady...anyway, personally I feel that the old lady has a point. She's selling tissue packets and the price set is $2.00. It's a simple purchase contract - Item is selling at $2.00 and if you want it (for your needs or out of pity), you have to pay the full price. She stopped short of begging by selling an item over-priced and if she gives you a discount, she'll have to start accepting discounts from others too and where will it stop?
Now, if she was simply waiting for money to fall out of anyone's hands, like the Frisco homeless, and then complains of the donation, now that is offensive! No price was determined, no goods exchanged, only ungrateful spite was the order of the day. Probably thinks he can get free food with that kind of attitude!
Posted by: Lee at October 28, 2005 11:57 AM
"...if she gives you a discount, she'll have to start accepting discounts from others too and where will it stop?"
You're kidding me, right? You mean this is like a matter of principle or what?
Posted by: Logan at October 28, 2005 06:59 PM
No no...nothing to do with principles here. We all know why she's there and selling something over-priced - she needs money. She might as well have just squat there and stick her hand out then she wouldn't even have to buy packets of tissues real cheap from elsewhere and hock it at a prime area like Orchard, albeit ten times more than the original price. But she did the latter perhaps she feels it's more dignified than simply sticking out for a hand out.
Like I said before, it boils down to a simple contract of offer and acceptance. Maybe if someone refused to accept the tissue paper despite paying for it, she would have insisted the buyer to take it. Maybe we should try that one day...
Posted by: Lee at October 29, 2005 10:55 AM
Actually I told her I only had a dollar fifty of loose change. The smallest note I had was ten and she told me she had change. Then I simply told her I didn't want the tissue paper and walked away. She said, "Never mind lah, a dollar fifty will do." But I declined.
You're right...it's a simple contract. And I doubt there'll be a next time when I will give her business unless I'm in a really really good mood.
Posted by: Logan at October 31, 2005 01:58 AM
