The wife (German in nature) and I ended up early AM grocery shopping in the city (Wiesbaden) today. This is one of the bigger operations in town (just for a prospective)....near the train-station.
In the midst of shopping, I'm alone with the cart and notice some younger gal talking to a customer, and immediately have 'beggar-status' flash in my head. Just call it intuition. I maneuver the cart back and try to get a aisle over....to avoid the approach.
Well....it didn't work.
She approaches me in the next row.
First, there's typically two types of beggars....the non-German-any-age type, or the older German male (usually alcoholics or homeless type). This was different....a young gal...German...polite in nature, maybe 25 years old. No....she wasn't crippled up or in some homeless attire. No....she didn't appear unhealthy....fully capable of working was in my humble belief.
She gave some two sentence beg situation...asking for three Euro.
I went to my standard response....'nein'. She walks away.
My wife came up from another part of the story....having experienced the same gal, and she gave the response.....she didn't have money to 'share'.
What gets me riled-up....there is a worker-shortage going on in Germany. You can walk through the down-town area....dozens of shops with 'help-wanted' signs up. On the buses.....they are recruiting people to train for bus-driver positions. The Bahn guys are advertising for trainees. Companies are actively recruiting for interns/apprentice folks.
There's just no real argument for someone age 25, in good health....not to be employed or in some training program.
Last night I watched some news piece....German electrical company actively seeking either craftsmen or apprentice people. Boss admitting he could hire five people on as apprentices....if they'd just apply.
So I don't buy into this beggar BS.....if you are youthful and in decent health.
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