Distraught or Dishonest - A Tough Call

In most any big city in the world you can find people asking for money and China's cities are no different. The problem of course is the same everywhere, in that it is very difficult to know who to believe. Here in Liuzhou some young people go to great lengths to ask for money. They write elaborate signs and then hide their faces in shame, perhaps it's similar across China.  I'm not sure how accurate my translation is here but I think it's pretty close. This kid's sign goes something like this. "Hello everyone. Happy New Year. I can't find my mother. I've spent all my money and now I want to have a good meal but I can't. Please give me 60 yuan so I can buy a ticket to go back to my hometown. Thanks." Pretty good I thought. I actually hesitated and almost gave the kid some money but my Chinese friend stopped me, explaining that he thought the guy was a con. At the time I didn't know what to believe. I took this shot almost a month ago. When I was lining it up someone alerted the kid and he looked at me. I got a good look at him through the viewfinder before he buried his face in his arms again.

I'm Lovin' It

 

I saw the kid today, wearing these same shoes, standing in line at McDonalds, with his girlfriend and another couple. I had been waiting to post this as part of another set but when I saw him today I decided to to go ahead and write this while the emotion was fresh. They were having a great time, "lovin' it" even. I wanted to ask him if he ever found his momma but didn't trust my Chinese! Yet another example of not how we are all so different really but rather how we are all alike. I had the Big Mac extra value meal.

tags: liuzhou  china  students  beggar  con  scam  guangxi  boy  mcdonalds  chinese  street  

links: digg this    del.icio.us    technorati    reddit