Overbridge, Matunga Station

He is a blind beggar. This is not going to be one of those posts where the author tries real hard to capture the times in a truly eloquent and witty way and then stun the reader by springing a twist in the final line by declaring that the protagonist is blind using a very subtle and poetic sentence. Why? Firstly, I think that whole format has become quite stale. Jeffrey Archer has done it to death. Secondly, and probably more importantly, I am not that good a writer.

So the start pretty much puts it across in a straight not so subtle way. The protagonist is a beggar and he is blind. He is this blind beggar who stands at the end of the overbridge in Matunga station towards the East side - Kings Circle Side.

Over the last month and a half or so, I have walked past him almost on a daily basis and I admire the dignity with which he stands over there in that corner. He is either wearing a blue t shirt or a dark blue shirt and thats neatly tucked in to a terycot formal pair of pants which was the fashion of my father's generation but still continues to hold its own today. No formal shoes but a nice pair of leather sandals. And he doesn't make a sound. Singing is not his style. Nor does he plead or implore you to drop some coins. He just stands there, listening., in a corner, trying hard not to disturb or bother you.

I am not sure how much he collects daily and I haven't seen him around on Sundays. He puts in a 6 day or a 5 day week. And that overbridge is all his.

I am more interested to know what all he must be listening to during his 'office hours'. Has he picked up any Tamil from the Matunga crowd? Does he smile in embarrassment listening to teenagers sharing their newly discovered romance or does he nod in cognizance? Can he feel the madness and the rush of many trying to catch their morning commute to work? Does he empathise with the exhaustion of those returning home? Does he wish to see the joys of the kids who run to Shivaji Park for their daily dose of the gentleman's game at Shivaji Park? Was he standing there when the name of Sachin Tendulkar made the rounds around the park? Does he have friends whom he meets and shares a drink with at the end of the day or week? Does he recognise the sound that my bag makes and does he expect some coins in his palms every time the bag comes near?

Beggars of the world...Unite !!!

The reason why i have asked all of you to turn up at such an early hour is to have an open discussion... why ?
Well my brothers in alms...i am fed up.. i am sick and tired of the lack of self respect.. the so called middle class does not seem to realise how tough a profession ours is... it aint easy to go up to those morons and beg.. let them give it a try... they never will.. and they dont realise the importance of us beggars...they dont realise the link we form in the economic cycle...

We need to stand up and be counted for.. We need to fight.. We need a union..but our union should be different...we unite not in strikes..we unite not for politics..we unite for the sake of penury...
I propose to start a union..but i dont like the term union..it has a negative ring to it.. prefer to call it a conglomeration...and this conglomeration shall be called..... Albow(l) inc. pronounced ALL BOW.. as everyone will bow before us... we will have as our symbol an Aluminum Bowl..

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Our first proposal will be a ban on Child Labour within the organisation...no more will children beg... this will ensure that these kids dont exploit us older men... the bloody kids have become too smart these days..and with technology having become what it is..they get greater exposure at a younger age.. and in our business knowledge is power... kids run faster and have better physical capabilties and they also get more sympathy from the people and hence eat into our profits...kids are smart alecs who may take over our organisation right from under our noses.. Hence for our betterment..we should ban child beggars under the pretext of a ban on child labour.

We should divide the conglomeration into different ministries or rather have seperate holding companies that will be separate entities but come under the umbrella of the Albow conglomeration.. I shall elucidate on what I mean by that... We should have a separate entity taking care of tourist spots... a separate entity for beggars with physical deformties... a separate entity for old aged.. a separate one for singers and artists.. separate mobile one which will take care of beggars who have to travel on trains and buses... separate entities for different corporations and cities... Having such separate entities will ensure that no one eats into the other's profit.. these entities will collect the daily wages and take a small bit and put it in a fixed deposit account...the members of each entity will get a share of the interest generated and have separate accounts in banks initially, where the interest will get distributed in their names.. in the near future, the members will get insurace as well.. of course you wont have mediclaim cos that will eat up into the profits we can get.. always remember - a sick beggar is more valuable than a healthy beggar.

Taking inspiration from the present goverment's Employment Guarantee Scheme... I propose to have a 100 day begging duty guarantee scheme where we could combine it with a paid holiday.. what i am trying to say is.. for eg. We give holiday for ten members from the physical disabilty entity in a particular city..and during those ten days..we replace their post with trainees...these trainees will get hundred days in ten day shifts every year...
We should also have an age limit for the members... the age limit should be flexible.. those with physical disabitily can be members at a young age...those with no handicaps whatsoever apart from poverty should become members only when they cross 58 years of age...till that time they are physically capable of doing menial tasks...
In case there are those special beggars who cant find menial jobs... they can join the pension scheme where they will get pension till they become fifty eight years of age.. membership to the pension scheme will be open to only those who bring with them the right references...

And finally, the first and foremost task is to remove the false notion of prostitution being the oldest profession by legitimising Begging as a profession....

Now, all those in favour of the setting up of Albow Inc... say please !!!