May the muffins be forever in your favour.I just don't understand some people..... · 2:06am March 29th
I was only out to buy some simple things today. I had some change left and I went to a nearby park to give it to a homeless person. I couldn't find one and went back to the train station and mall where I started. A man was standing there in front of the entrance, with heavy luggage, a huge backpack and a big suitcase. He asked me for change and said he has no place to sleep. I was unsure about giving him the change at first, because I thought he's a stranded tourist or traveller (which didn't make any sense, in hindsight, stranded tourists usually have money to get under a roof somewhere, but it was late and I was tired and I guess the heavy luggage fooled me), and I wanted to keep the change for a homeless person, but somehow I couldn't say no, so I gave it to him. Then he said something else and I stayed and listened.
He told me that he is a ukrainian refugee. He came to my country and was trying to get help, but didn't succeed. At the ukrainian embassy, they only told him that he has to wait two months until he can work here and didn't even offer him a place to sleep. And at the center for ukrainian refugees, they only let him sleep there for three nights and they didn't believe him that he is from Ukraine, even though he showed his passport to them. He showed his passport to me, too. Someone stole his wallet with his credit card and 400€ in cash, so he could not get into a hostel and had no place to sleep. I couldn't offer him one, because I only live in a shared flat and have no own apartment and my roommate probably wouldn't be okay if I offered a stranger to sleep in the living room. But I gave him 50€ so he could sleep somewhere for at least a night or two and bought him food for 31.77€, with money from my savings. I was shocked afterwards, because I took a rather big financial risk by going at my savings that have already suffered since December and I can't allow myself to do this a second time in that capacity, because it would bring me into trouble. But something else shocked me more.
We went into a small grocery store that was open until 11 PM. A female employee there was immediately hostile when she saw him. Said that he can't beg people for money in the store. I told her he isn't here to beg, we're just shopping. He assured her that he won't beg people in the store for money. She repeated the same thing, like she didn't hear him or me, and I told her that I met him, that I gave him money so he can sleep somewhere and that I'm now buying him some food. She didn't like to hear that.
After I told her all that, she turned at me and asked "Why do you buy him food?" and then said "I wouldn't buy him food.". Up until that point, she thought he was a homeless person from my country. Stores here hate it when homeless people ask customers for money and always send them out, which is bad enough already. But then I asked her, feeling mad about her earlier statement: "Do you even know who this is? Or where he comes from?" and then followed up with "He's from Ukraine.". And then she looked at me and said coldly "So what? I'm from Hungary and I have a shitty president, but no one gives me money.". He then continued talking to her and explain himself, he was apparently noticing that she wasn't talking nice about him, but she did not listen to him and not respond and just went away. He went after her and still tried to reason with her. I told him that he shouldn't bother and that it isn't worth it because she's rascist. And then she sent the store security at us. We told the security guy the same thing, that he isn't begging for money, that I just buy him some food, and he let him stay in the store with me. But he kept an eye on him the entire time. We then picked up some food he wanted to have, I paid and we left the store shortly before they closed.
Afterwards, I talked with him some more, he told me that he also needs to buy pills for a health condition he has with the money I gave him and that he can sleep in a tent inside an abandoned train car at another train station that's farther away. So I accompanied him to the subway, explained him how to get to the train station and waited with him until it arrived. We said goodbye and separated.
I couldn't process all of this while it happened, I was tired and everything went so fast. While I was sitting in the subway station later and waited for my own ride, I was thinking about what that female employee said and only then I processed how evil that was. Not only was she acting rascist, she even tried to prevent a person in need from getting help. I feel cold since I heard her talk like that and I just don't know what to say about that. I don't understand it. That's bothering me and I had to put this somewhere.
She forgot what it was like being a stranger in a strange land and having to rely on the kindness of others.
Some people are just intolerant. It sucks, but it's how it is. As an American of mixed heritage, I'm far too used to such treatment. I'm so glad you were able to help that man with what you could. Especially in these uncertain times, anything can make a difference. I know this experience will stick with you, and I'm glad you decided to vent here, where others could see and potentially help (not that I think my ramblings are much help.
).