Does This Woman Really Have No Manners?

There she was as usual at The Big

Issue distribution spot at Covent

Garden just before midday today.

She said "Hello, Monty," after I

had greeted her. I paid her £50.00

in cash to buy another 50 of the

latest Christmas Special ...

She then dropped the two bungles

of 25 copies on the floor without

simply handing them to me. So

I'm forced to pick up what she

dropped on the floor without as

much as a thank you or please

from her. I try then to hold a

little conversation with her, but

instead she puts her eyes down to

the ground as if I don't exist to her.

Does this woman really have no

manners? She quickly turns her face

to another vendor who came just

moments before me to buy his

five copies at 5 quid. Like she did

to me, she didn't says thank you

or how are you to the vendor.

There is no joy on her empty

face, except slight frowns of

her eyelashes ... Nor is there

any expression of interest by

her toward me. She called

the vendor "darling," but not

me. When I said I was going

off to do some carol singing at

Charing Cross Underground to

raise funds for the Church of

St. Martin-in-the Fields, she

simply took her cellphone

and starting blabbing into it

and with utter distain at what

I had said ... I was going to ask

the woman if she knew the

date and place of the upcoming

Christmas Party for The Big

Issue vendors, but with her cold

attitude I just didn't bother finding

out from her ... She gives the

distinct impression that she doesn't

give a damn really, does she?

Such is the day in the life of a

Big Issue woman like her ...
Then another stupid woman came
by earlier to my pitch to give me a
small flask of whisky ... I told her in
no uncertain terms that such was the
last thing she should being doing for Big
Issue vendors at this Christmastide. I
also told her that a number of vendors are
either alcoholics or recovering alcoholics
at best and that her mindless act of
giving liquour to those on the streets
was totally wrong ... She said she
thought a little bit of whisky was
harmless and would help to warm
them during the cold snap ... "Don't
ever bring whisky or alcohol or any
kind of booze to my pitch ever again,"
I firmly remonstrated with her and

warned her. She said I was closed-minded

and ungrateful for her gift!! Go jump in
the lake, lady ... is what I almost
told her ...
UPDATE: Things seem somewhat
improved at my pitch with sales
taking off alot better than last week.
Yet, I still suspect this Christmas
will not beat last year's bumper
season for me and for many other
vendors, too. Whatever, perhaps
all will turn out for the best
after all. We'll know for sure at
the end of this Christmas season ...
I'm alittle more optimistic than I
was a few days ago. If the weather
stays dry, that will help. The bitter
cold I can handle, but when it's
all day rain that puts the damper
on things for sure ... So, pray and
keep our fingers crossed for a
good Xmas for all my fellow
vendors ... Cheers, Monty.