24 February 2005
bleeding for money
Chronological again, it seems:
Yesterday a man was walking down my street, crying out, "Help me! Help me!" He held a tissue to a gash on his forehead.
I stopped my bike, asked him what had happened, didn't understand, asked him to switch to English. He came closer and I saw that his cheeks were sunken and he had snot running down to his mouth.
All I heard next was "AIDS patient . . . hurt . . . help."
I offered to call 1-1-2 (the Dutch version of 9-1-1).
Beat.
He said he had already called his doctor and just needed E4.20 for the tram ride and train.
Those numbers and the story stopped making sense.
Beat.
"I feel like a bum asking you for money."
Beat.
In my confusion over his, I handed over a five-euro bill. He told me I'm a darling and headed in the opposite direction.
Beat.
Dirk says he's seen him, that he has a scab on his forehead that he picks. "Bleeding for money," he said.
betholindo at 10:24