Talking About Thinking Outside The Box
I was in Starbucks today, surfing the net and updating my sites, when something happened.
A caucasian woman (in her early 30s) came up to my table, left a green tribal motif keychain, and walked away. There was a laminated card together with the striking keychain. Suprised, I picked it up and read the card. Here’s what it said:
“I am unfortunately deaf and dumb. If you’re feeling kind today, I hope you can share the joy and spare just RM5.00 for this unique keychain”.
I thought to myself…WOW.
There’s marketing genious written all over it. The lady also dropped the keychain on every other table, and then went around picking them up. Guess what?
Everyone in Starbucks, including me, bought a keychain from her for RM5.00.
“If you’re feeling kind today, I hope you can share the joy…”
Now, who doesn’t want to be kind?
In Malaysia, especially in Kuala Lumpur, there’s no way you can hangout at popular public areas without being approached by serial beggars. When I say serial, I mean these guys actually make a few rounds and each have their designated begging spots.
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Now what drove u to buy the key chain .. I feel its fairly expensive…RM5 for a keychain?.. anyway I think this white lady just knew the kindda attention these white plp get in our country…now gobala will you do the same if an asian lady were to walk up to your table and leave the keychair costing you about RM3?… i doubt u would give a second look…. now if u ask me this lady just knew her target market … she begs or rather does “direct” selling in a continent where plp are skin bias….:) and believe me when I say even u fell for that - just my RM0.25 opinion
I was approached before at Dunkin Donuts Mid Valley by the same
lady (I presume the same since you said she was “supposedly” deaf & dumb). Unfortunately, being the kind soul that’s so innate in me, I also gave away my fiver. Upon reflection, I regretted my action (very seldom of me to regret a kind act). I should not have supported her. I doubted her disability. Acting dumb and deaf even was the only way not to give away her guise. I believe we should report her. Firstly, there should be no beggars in a shopping mall. Secondly, the Immigration Dept would be interested about foreigners (adult or child) peddling stuffs here.
Some may disagree with me. But when I am approached by somebody like this, I will see if I have the change. If I do, I will just give and forget about it.
Whether they are truely deaf and dumb, or whether they really need it, or whether they are lying to me right in my face and live a wealthy lifestyle behind me … well, that’s between them and God.
cantapus, yoke - i would agree with Kidino here.
i give only because i want to, when i want to. when i give it’s sincere and i dont really care if the person is fake or not. the rest is something out of my contol and there’s no pint worrying about it.
I was approached by a white guy at Ikea, do the same thing as mentioned but he charge RM10.00.
Don’t know if he is really deaf or dumb, but we can’t be all the time generous. Money is not easy to come by, and they are, I guess, healthy enough to work! There are many more unfortunate people who we can help!