What to do ...
As we left work, ananymous_ and I heard a soft voice trying to draw our attention. A young woman carrying an infant over her shoulder, hesitantly asked if we spoke Marathi. Both of us could understand and speak bits of it so we indicated to her to proceed. She and her husband were out-of-towners, here for work but were stranded since the past two days without money, looking for a way to get home. They'd spent the past night at the station with the child and were hard up ... looking to us for some kind of help.
Ananymous_ and I looked at each other, hesitant to walk way from what was probably just another con. I didn't want to give them money so we thought we'd buy them some food ... that would atleast feed the child if nothing else. Stepping aside we hashed out our options, didn't have many ... we were headed to the station ... buying them a ticket home was one option albeit complicated, buying food or simply handing over money the others.
Ananymous_ told them of our offer to buy some food for them but the husband said they'd just been given food and needed money to get home more than anything. Taking them to the station involved either paying for their conveyance then buying the train tickets or walking to the station ... It seemed simpler to give them some money and let them collect the rest.
As I handled the ten rupee note over, a voice screeched in the back of my mind "Sucker". Another quiet one said that it didn't matter, better a fool than leave someone who might have been in genuine need especially with a child involved.
Ananymous_ and I looked at each other, hesitant to walk way from what was probably just another con. I didn't want to give them money so we thought we'd buy them some food ... that would atleast feed the child if nothing else. Stepping aside we hashed out our options, didn't have many ... we were headed to the station ... buying them a ticket home was one option albeit complicated, buying food or simply handing over money the others.
Ananymous_ told them of our offer to buy some food for them but the husband said they'd just been given food and needed money to get home more than anything. Taking them to the station involved either paying for their conveyance then buying the train tickets or walking to the station ... It seemed simpler to give them some money and let them collect the rest.
As I handled the ten rupee note over, a voice screeched in the back of my mind "Sucker". Another quiet one said that it didn't matter, better a fool than leave someone who might have been in genuine need especially with a child involved.