Wednesday 14 January 2009

Dementia

Yesterday I visited our canteen, got myself a cup of tea, and went to the till to pay for it. The cashier handed me a footlingly small coin in change. "You know" I mused out loud "Maybe you should have a charity box here for people to deposit small change like this."

Patiently, she indicated the bright yellow collecting box placed prominently next to the till, which I had totally failed to register.

I was unsurprised to see that it was for the Alzheimer's society.

I deposited the change silently and slouched off, tasting the ashes of humiliation. The way I'm going, I shall need their help soon anyway...

7 comments:

Ms Scarlet said...

The cashier handed me a footlingly small coin

Was it from the Isle of Man?
Sx

Gyppo Byard said...

Not sure - I didn't look that closely at it...

Ms Scarlet said...

Apologies Gyppo, you appear to have got caught in my bush.
Sx

Gadjo Dilo said...

I reckon we're all going that way, Gyppo. Of course you could have said: "Ah yes, I'd seen that collecting box, of course, but I believe that to be truly charitable one should contribute to something that one won't personally benefit from".

Mrs Pouncer said...

To which the overall'd wageslave would reply: "just put the change in the box, you git". Or words to that effect.

No Good Boyo said...

I discussed charities with a fellow rightwing thug the other day, and we found that the one cause we both give to generously is the Salvation Army. And for the same reason. As my colleague said: "It's not so much charity for people like us. It's insurance."

Gyppo Byard said...

Gadjo - yes indeed; but thinking of what I should have said a few minutes late is my normal modus operandi. I have faced open anti-Tziganism only once in my current job; that was a particularly ditsy female colleague who, on discovering my Gypposity, said "Oh what fun! Can we call you Gypsy Rose Byard? Are you going to start coming into work with one earring and a hanky tied round your head?" I was too stunned to reply, but it occurred to me later that I should have responded "Sure - why don't I nick your bag, park my vardo on your front garden and kidnap your kids while I'm at it, too?" The same colleague made a big thing of being 'anti-racist', which she put into practice by initiating conversations with Asian colleagues about curry recipes. As Boyo said of her at the time "For such people was the word dreck invented".

Mrs P - actually the lady in question is always unfailingly polite and helpful, even faced with the likes of Boyo and me.

Curiously, Boyo, the Salvation Army is one charity I NEVER give any money to on ethical grounds...