Touched...

While pondering the wisdom of the Bard at the meet-market last night (translation: I was browsing through yet another book about Bob Dylan at the bookstore-coffeehouse- mediacenter), I became aware of the approach of an attractive young woman. She touched my arm gently, smiled sweetly and said "Read?" as she showed me a laminated card. It was printed, by hand, in block letters. She appeared to be of Mongolian descent.

It was a solicitation for money for a Christian "mission" to Mongolia. It suggested a donation of $20 to help cover certain expenses. I smiled and said "No thank you." She smiled and left quickly, searching out another patron/mark.

Reflections of the Hare Krishna movement: There was a time, in the early seventies, when that group organized intensive begging campaigns in airports and commercial areas. They have been, for the most part, ordinanced out of business, so it gave me a little shudder of nostalgia for those days when I was "touched" again. Almost all charities are inefficent at best, and downright fraudulent at worst (not the Salvation Army, however!) or are trying to get funds for something that I don't understand or support. I am certain that the bookstore has a policy against this, but she was most subtle in her method, however. I wonder if this will be a new trend?

She was very attractive, maybe she liked me? I could have given her something I suppose...




NOT!