The word ‘akrasia’ means doing something even after being fully aware of the fact that the end result is going to be unpalatable and the action would be repented. Almost in the same breath I must admit to belonging to that school of thought which is emphatic that one must not encourage begging at any cost.
My seemingly unrelated opening statements actually form the basis of my thought for the day.
I’d gone to the nearby grocery store, this evening, to make a few quick purchases. As I was paying up the bill, a scrawny and disheveled middle aged man came at the entrance asking for alms. My first reaction was to give something to him on my way out and looked into my wallet for a five rupee coin but realized that I was left with a paltry one rupee coin instead. And the transaction left me with a couple of 100 rupee notes. I decided not to give him anything justifying it as having flowed from my thinking on not encouraging begging!
As I was leaving the shop, I caught his gaze despite my efforts to avoid it and immediately regretted having decided not to give him anything and also cursed my luck for having only a one rupee coin which, to me, was too small a denomination to give him.
I still cannot forget that haunting gaze. I hope to amend my action tomorrow, when I go to the same place on some work that needs to be done by the forenoon. Only wish that I’m able to meet him!!
Tailpiece.
Saddened yet again on the lifer meted out to the cabbie responsible for Bangalore's Pratibha Murthy's death. Her mother really looked cheated in one of the TV grabs. It's simply not fair!!!
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