Everyday i come out of Parliament station and there on the corner is this homeless guy.He sits on the pavement and attempts to sell drawings to the people walking by.. Sometimes he draws directly on the pavement with pastels. The output is quite bad and overall the whole image is pathetic and sad. No one seems to take much notice of this poor creature but i figure he must make something, he is there everyday.
The other day I walked past and the drawings were gone. The dirty cardboard on the ground quickly explained the situation. Apparently he had given it up because he was being fined for not having a permit.
Not only did this poor bastard have to put up with the humiliation and injustice of poverty and homelessness, he had to cop an infringment as well.
So where we had a person trying to maintain a shred of pride, albeit by selling crappy drawings that no one really wants.. we now have a person begging.
What has been achieved? He is still there...less dignified..probably with less money at the end of the day... and definitely with less hope.
IT is OK to have any crap shoved in your face ...be offered any kind of subscription service... ironically even asked to support the poor at the traffic lights, but you must have a permit to draw a stick figure on the pavement.
I understand the reason behind the permit thing ....but this poor guy is down..very down ....to enforce such a law is harsh even for a heartless town like Melbourne.
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