Beggar on the Flyover

This afternoon, a friend and I were walking across the pedestrian flyover from the Central ferry pier to the Landmark this afternoon after church. We came across this beggar begging on the flyover. His left arm was missing -- either from an amputation or inborn. He looked like he was in his 20s. He was wearing only a singlet and was shivering visibly from the cold.

Part of my heart went out to him and wanted to give him some money -- money that I could definitely spare. The logical part of my heart told me that it was not possible that somebody that young could have been born in Hong Kong without the government taking care of him somehow, which meant that he was one of those unfortunates who are somehow "imported" from China, and left to beg on the street to make money for their gang leaders. Which is human trafficking, albeit in a more benign way.

I am ashamed to say that I walked past without giving him money. The logical part of my brain won out this time. Nobody else stopped to give him money, either, during the few minutes that I could see.

I could not help feeling guilty.

Variations on a tune

Most of us know the song "My bonnie is over the river". One of my students told me the version that she was taught by her teachers in primary school. Here it is, complete with actions:

My bonnie [outlines the shape of a person in the air, "body"] is over [makes the shape of an "O" with two hands] the o-[makes the "O" shape] cean [points to the lips, 唇, almost-homonym for the second syllable in "ocean"];
My bonnie ["body" action again] is over ["O" action] the sea [shades eyes with hand, "see"].
My bonnie ["body" action] is over ["O" action] the o-["O" action] cean ["唇" action] --
Oh bring [hands in a "come hither" motion] back [pats one's back] my bonny ["body" action] to me [points to oneself].

Interesting way to teach English.