Saw this old bloke today

Carsinian Thau

snyper wrote: »

I posted this story before here somewhere about the time i left the pub one night about 6 years ago, i had just had a fight with my then girlfriend i wasnt in the best of form, this homeless guy sitting on the ground as i walked by asked "spare some change?" i snapped back at him "get a fcuking job!".... he just replied "ok , sorry" by the time i had taken about 10 more steps the feeling of guilt hit me like a stone wall.. who the fcuk was i to say that to him? I knew nothing about him or his past or what he has being through.. my gf wasnt impressed either but i went up to the nearest chipper bought a burger chips and a coffee and walked back to him... i was aware that he was well within his rights to tell me to go fcuk myself as he threw the food back at me, however, i went back to him and apologised to him prefusely.. i think the most humbeling thing of all was his reaction, he was so nice about it and said it happens all the tim, the bit of food i gave him, he received like i gave him a thousand euro he was thrilled, we stayed and chatted and he told me of the circumstances that lead to his current position, i was humbled and learnt a vey valueable life lesson.. never look down on other people, since that time ive had my ups and downs that cold possibly have placed me in a position where i could have ended up on hard times if i didnt have support, ones own head is a very powerful asset, but can be your greatest enemy too.

Post of the year?

Seriously.

Whosbetter?

Piste wrote: »

It's their own fault if they're spending money that could be spend on healthcare or food on smokes, I have no symathy, nobody *needs* to smoke.

It's these kinda statements that give anti-smokers their rightly deserved reputation as the real whingers, complainers & wet blankets of the modern world.

I'll bet you're a traffic warden/'elf & sayefty officier/keyboard whinger/pen-jockey, etc.

You couldn't be doing anything useful.:rolleyes:

tbh

I bet somewhere in dublin tonight there's a romanian pensioner, feasting on swan, regaling his friends with stories of his "too proud to beg" act, before offering johnny blues all round.


fair play degs, bet it felt good didn't it?

Degsy

tbh wrote: »

fair play degs, bet it felt good didn't it?

Not really..the whole situation left me with a feeling of sadness..i mean,he was probably the same age as my parents,had probably reared a family,worked all his life etc and i dont think that he ever imagined when he was my age(30+) that he'd end up picking fag butts up off the ground because he was to broke to buy a smoke.
This poor old bastard could be anyone of us..

tbh

Degsy wrote: »

Not really..the whole situation left me with a feeling of sadness..i mean,he was probably the same age as my parents,had probably reared a family,worked all his life etc and i dont think that he ever imagined when he was my age(30+) that he'd end up picking fag butts up off the ground because he was to broke to buy a smoke.
This poor old bastard could be anyone of us..

any poor old bastard could be anyone of us degser. There but for the grace of god - and decent parents - go any of us.

Tzetze

Do work for charity, but don't like to talk about it? Smashy and Nicey would approve. :pac:

barakus

Its not too hard to end up that way either Id say. Few wrong turns is all it takes.

I remember talking to a homeless guy after the clubs closed in limerick one time and seeing him do the same, the worst thing was to seeing him pick up somebodys apple that only had a couple bites out of it and start munching away. Some of these poor f*ckers are living like animals.

genericguy

seanybiker wrote: »

How do we know your man is dying?

we've all been dying since the day we were born, but as you get older it becomes statistically more probable that the four horsemen will come knocking sooner rather than later.

Carsinian Thau

Degsy wrote: »

Not really..the whole situation left me with a feeling of sadness..i mean,he was probably the same age as my parents,had probably reared a family,worked all his life etc and i dont think that he ever imagined when he was my age(30+) that he'd end up picking fag butts up off the ground because he was to broke to buy a smoke.
This poor old bastard could be anyone of us..

Well, it is very sad. But what you should remember is that you made his misery a little more bearable. Even if just for the shortest of times, that still means a lot.

DipDab

Tanks for the cigs any chance of a lighter next time:p nice ting u did;)

tech77

Bluetonic wrote: »

It depends how much petrol you pour over him.

PMSL.
Great.

drkpower

Piste wrote: »

It's their own fault if they're spending money that could be spend on healthcare or food on smokes, I have no symathy, nobody *needs* to smoke.

Pathetic comment, sadly.

This was an old man who probably smoked all his life (remember, back in the day, smoking was practically compulsory and there was no knowledge/suspicion that it was of such danger). Clearly, if he was scrounging butts, he had gotten to a pretty bad stage both financially and in terms of his own self respect. Who knows what had happened in this man's life that led him to this stage; tragedy, ill-health, mental illness, who knows.....

This man was not some 25 year old drunk pissing his life away who could, with the right supports and attitude, dry out, get a job and turn his life around; he was an old man with probably very few options left in life.

Yet, you have "no sympathy".
Nice!

Acacia

Maybe the poor auld lad had spent any money he had on clothes/food and was desperate for a smoke. I know how my own grandparents love their smokes, and it's their bit of comfort in their old age. Sure it's not a great habit, I detest it myself, but I wouldn't begrudge that old man a cigarette. I probably would've done the same as Degsy, I hate seeing people desperate like that. That old fella probably spent his life working and contributing to the State, and now he can't even afford a few ciggies. Disgrace.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Degsy wrote: »

I was on my way into work thi smorning when i saw this bloke probably 60+ behaving oddly.He was bending down every couple of minutes and picking something up and whatever it was he was putting into his other hand.
When i got level with him he sort of straightened up and pretended he wasnt doing anything but i saw in his hand..Cigarette Butts..the poor old divil had been scrounging cigarette butts off the street.
I've never actually seen this before..i've seen somebody cadge the occasional half-smoke at a bus-stop but he had a handfull of dog-ends in the twilight of his life and was obvioulsy too proud to beg.
I must be getting old and soft coz i bought him a packet of players eventhough i dont smoke and never give to beggars.
Is the country getting that bad that the senior citizens are reduced to this?

My Jesus , there is hope for everyone!

Seriously, though, in answer to your question: I think senior citizens, like all vulnerable people, get a very raw deal these days. But that's FF for you. But cigaretts are not a nessecity these days.

AckwelFoley

brummytom wrote: »

.. you seem to get a slightly bad rep. on here which is a shame.

WUT? :eek:

phasers

snyper wrote: »

WUT? :eek:

Don't mind him Snypey, you're beloved by all

Victor

genericguy wrote: »

in fairness a few smokes never broke up any families.

Smoking kills a few million people a year. I know of a couple of broken families.

Gillo wrote: »

A lot of old people started smoking before there was any knowledge of it being dangerous and got hooked again before it became dangerous.

Wrong. Cigarettes have been known as "death nails" for hundreds of years.

Whosbetter? wrote: »

It's these kinda statements that give anti-smokers their rightly deserved reputation as the real whingers, complainers & wet blankets of the modern world.

I'll bet you're a traffic warden/'elf & sayefty officier/keyboard whinger/pen-jockey, etc.

Of course she isn't, shes a student. :pac:*


* Now in fairness she has worked hard and got a really decent result, so laugh, but respect her also.

Degsy wrote: »

i dont think that he ever imagined when he was my age(30+) that he'd end up picking fag butts up off the ground because he was to broke to buy a smoke.

Life is expensive and theres a recession on, but nobody is so badly off that they have to do things like that.

Degsy

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

But cigaretts are not a nessecity these days.

No mate they're not but if a poor old divil cant afford a smoke when the chances are he's worked all his life we've come to a sorry place.
I would no more grudge somebody a smoke than i would a drink of water.

phasers

Victor wrote: »

Life is expensive and theres a recession on, but nobody is so badly off that they have to do things like that.

Just because you don't have to doesn't mean nobody does. The poor guy was obviously desperate.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Degsy wrote: »

No mate they're not but if a poor old divil cant afford a smoke when the chances are he's worked all his life we've come to a sorry place.
I would no more grudge somebody a smoke than i would a drink of water.

True. Unusal to see you condoning self-inflicted misery (you'll be defending immigrants next!)

Rebelheart

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

My Jesus , there is hope for everyone!

Seriously, though, in answer to your question: I think senior citizens, like all vulnerable people, get a very raw deal these days. But that's FF for you. But cigaretts are not a nessecity these days.

As a generalisation, it is quite the opposite: senior citizens get a superb deal here. This is a country for old men. I went off with two retired uncles to Thurles a few weeks ago. They got free transport all the way from Meath to Tipp, on bus and train. The train was packed so two Dublin lads got up and the two men had a seat all the way. By virtue of being OAPs they then each paid €15 to watch both of the hurling matches. The standard adult ticket price was €35. All year long they travel around Ireland on their free transport thing, and get similar discounts into matches. I've never seen two lads happier. Little things like this are huge things to these boys.

dr.bollocko

snyper wrote: »

WUT? :eek:

Yes we have to clear this up. Snyper was never convicted of those charges.

brummytom

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Yes we have to clear this up. Snyper was never convicted of those charges.

I wish I'd been here long enough to understand these in-joke things

AckwelFoley

brummytom wrote: »

I wish I'd been here long enough to understand these in-joke things

In time young man, in time.

brummytom

snyper wrote: »

In time young man, in time.

You better be talking about the in-jokes.....






('In Tempore' is a family motto :eek: what a weird coincidence)