Agents and Vagrants
Well, the last week has been brilliant here in Edinburgh. The sun has shone on the city and I am at ease with being a vagrant. OK, strike that. It's one of the things I take great care to ensure does not happen. In fact I got a little annoyed with myself the other day. Let me explain:
I had just slept the night in the Pentland hills; a couple of hours walk from the city centre. On my way back in, loaded up with a heavy rucksack, clopping mountain boots and too much easy-living in Croatia around my waist, a young, well-dressed, man asked me if he could have a pound (almost $2US) for the bus, since he'd lost his wallet. Taken by his appearance, I gave him the money and then belatedly asked where he was going. "Oxgang," he replied. I had just walked through there and did not take the bus, because I felt I could do with the exercise and in my current state, could not justify the spend. Turns out that I was walking about 4 times his distance and I realised that I should have told him to take a hike. I can't help but look at all these people begging on the streets of Britain and being slightly annoyed when we allow ourselves to be bullied into feeling sorry for them. I can testify to the fact that you do not need much money to get by and while they are sitting on the streets trying to look mournful, they are not in the library (warm and dry), or elsewhere, doing something to better themselves. This, for those that are able, stops them developing a positive strategy that might put them in charge of their own future.
I know that this is a little simplistic, but I vow never to give in to someone begging for money on the streets. If they are hungry they will accept a bite to eat. If they are cold, they'll go to a hostel (In the UK, at least, we do have options). If they make a lifestyle choice to live like they do, then that is OK too - but you should not feel guilty for walking to work without funding that choice. To be truthful, I quite admire some of those who step beyond their comfort zones to live like this, but that's not the point. If we could somehow figure out who among them is genuine, then that is different, but we should not let our own moral cowardice force our hands into our pockets, just to ease our guilt. That is the problem, not the solution.
Last night I proved to myself that I can sleep for over eight hours without a tent or any other roof over my head - as long as it's not raining. The hill was misty when I climbed to bed and it reminded me of an old black and white movie, where I should expect werewolves to stalk me from the bushes. But I slept like a baby.
After all this time, I have now sent my first request (since selling shares in my work) to an agent. Using 10 Downing St as the sample, I am realistic about the chances of hitting it right first time (there are apparently 6 million manuscripts out there) but after writing the first (and, so far, the only) letter, I am convinced that I have never been in a better position to try.
Interesting article in today's Times (of London). This is a project I am getting involved in because the subject fascinates me and I might just learn something that can go into my writing.
'Till next time....
I had just slept the night in the Pentland hills; a couple of hours walk from the city centre. On my way back in, loaded up with a heavy rucksack, clopping mountain boots and too much easy-living in Croatia around my waist, a young, well-dressed, man asked me if he could have a pound (almost $2US) for the bus, since he'd lost his wallet. Taken by his appearance, I gave him the money and then belatedly asked where he was going. "Oxgang," he replied. I had just walked through there and did not take the bus, because I felt I could do with the exercise and in my current state, could not justify the spend. Turns out that I was walking about 4 times his distance and I realised that I should have told him to take a hike. I can't help but look at all these people begging on the streets of Britain and being slightly annoyed when we allow ourselves to be bullied into feeling sorry for them. I can testify to the fact that you do not need much money to get by and while they are sitting on the streets trying to look mournful, they are not in the library (warm and dry), or elsewhere, doing something to better themselves. This, for those that are able, stops them developing a positive strategy that might put them in charge of their own future.
I know that this is a little simplistic, but I vow never to give in to someone begging for money on the streets. If they are hungry they will accept a bite to eat. If they are cold, they'll go to a hostel (In the UK, at least, we do have options). If they make a lifestyle choice to live like they do, then that is OK too - but you should not feel guilty for walking to work without funding that choice. To be truthful, I quite admire some of those who step beyond their comfort zones to live like this, but that's not the point. If we could somehow figure out who among them is genuine, then that is different, but we should not let our own moral cowardice force our hands into our pockets, just to ease our guilt. That is the problem, not the solution.
Last night I proved to myself that I can sleep for over eight hours without a tent or any other roof over my head - as long as it's not raining. The hill was misty when I climbed to bed and it reminded me of an old black and white movie, where I should expect werewolves to stalk me from the bushes. But I slept like a baby.
After all this time, I have now sent my first request (since selling shares in my work) to an agent. Using 10 Downing St as the sample, I am realistic about the chances of hitting it right first time (there are apparently 6 million manuscripts out there) but after writing the first (and, so far, the only) letter, I am convinced that I have never been in a better position to try.
Interesting article in today's Times (of London). This is a project I am getting involved in because the subject fascinates me and I might just learn something that can go into my writing.
'Till next time....
posted by Paul Story at 6:17 AM
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