Beggar - is he for real?

vulcan57 · 14-01-2009 01:05PM #1

I was in town yesterday and happen to see, what seemed at first sight, a poor misfortunate man who had his legs, from the knee down, bent forward in front of him. He was shuffling up mainguard street and begging as he went. I am still not sure if he is for real or not as you don't like to stare in case he is actually so badly handicapped. Just wondered if anyone else has seen him. If the man is genuine, then god help the poor man, but if he is a fake and scamming people out of money then he needs to be arrested.

biko · 14-01-2009 01:10PM

Yeah I just read about him in the strange characters of Galway thread

cornbb · 14-01-2009 01:13PM

I don't really see how it could be fake. Its a fairly visually shocking handicap alright.

vulcan57 · 14-01-2009 01:21PM

cornbb wrote: »

I don't really see how it could be fake. Its a fairly visually shocking handicap alright.

It is visually shocking, but is that his intention?, so we don't question it. When I used to work in london I use to use Charring cross station and down the side of the station there used to be a man in a wheelchair with a tray selling matches. I used to feel sorry for him and often used to give him the odd bit of change that I had. That all stopped the day I saw another fella go up to him and say OK I'll take over and he got up, and the new faker sat down and carried on selling the matches. Just a point that you can never tell.

Xiney · 14-01-2009 01:24PM

I'm pretty sure it'd be hard for this guy to be faking. You try bending your leg that way.

The only way he could be faking is if the leg from the knee down was fake. Even so he would be missing the bottom half of both legs, hardly any better a handicap.

LadyMayBelle · 14-01-2009 01:32PM

I have to say I was shocked when i saw him shuffling down town with his legs like that, he shuffles on his calves. But I spotted him up near the uni a few weeks back and he uses crutches so he can stand up and his lower legs are diagonal to the ground and he moves them to walk..hard to describe but he was fairly moving..poor chap thats quite a disability, cant see how you could fake that one.

Slumdog · 14-01-2009 01:41PM

yea it can't be fake.. i've seen him alot and it always looks the same and it's impossible to do that with your legs.

JohnCleary · 14-01-2009 01:55PM

This thread is useless without pics

m83 · 14-01-2009 01:59PM

This thread beggars belief.

TerrorFirmer · 14-01-2009 02:06PM

Well it can't be fake, except in the sense that the 'legs' from the knee down aren't real, they're just fakes to emphasize his disability and play it up - at the end of the day the guy clearly has no legs from the knee down whatever way you look at it. Though I did always assume they weren't real legs, just an effort to play up the disability.

Absolute Zero · 14-01-2009 02:07PM

seems to me like the same guy , ive seen both in kilkenny and waterford , he msut go to every city and town begging for money. Thinks he owns the place too, i saw em walk into mcdonalds and ahead of the queue like it was nothing, scares the sh1t outta kids when goes up and down the streets begging. he will be moved on by next week.

AnonoBoy · 14-01-2009 02:07PM

So he put his fake legs on backwards?

Robbo · 14-01-2009 02:11PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

So he put his fake legs on backwards?

Exactly like Kriss Kross have to do now that their music careers are over...

kevmy · 14-01-2009 03:53PM

Xiney wrote: »

The only way he could be faking is if the leg from the knee down was fake. Even so he would be missing the bottom half of both legs, hardly any better a handicap.

I'm pretty sure this is what he does.

tbh if you want to make money as a beggar you have to be as visible as possible and sad to say this but a guy with his legs bent forward is much more visible than a guy with prosthetics or in a wheelchair

Zzippy · 14-01-2009 04:26PM

m83 wrote: »

This thread beggars belief.

I beg to differ.

Acoshla · 14-01-2009 04:28PM

I've seen him on Shop St, but he has a walking stick across his (weirdly bent) legs, so from that I guess he can walk with the aid of the stick, but figures he'll get more money doing it the shuffley way instead of hobbling with the stick.

Xiney · 14-01-2009 04:36PM

kevmy wrote: »

I'm pretty sure this is what he does.

tbh if you want to make money as a beggar you have to be as visible as possible and sad to say this but a guy with his legs bent forward is much more visible than a guy with prosthetics or in a wheelchair

Then I don't understand how people have seen him "walking"

Prosthetic limbs can't be used backwards, afaik. (Granted, my knowledge of prosthetics is limited to "they're damn difficult to use")

14-01-2009 09:18PM

I seen him jogging out in Salthill. Was horrified.

jogging_man%20on%20beach.jpg

JohnCleary · 14-01-2009 09:23PM

Seriously, this thread needs pics

Seriously :pac:

m83 · 14-01-2009 10:15PM

He looks like this, only less swany.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_SXvd5HvbBLc/RogTLDJJJRI/AAAAAAAAGVA/L4PHzrOl3Wg/IMG_5294.JPG

Fracture · 15-01-2009 02:19AM

On that note has anyone seen the romanian looking guy standing about on shop street with 2 crutches shaking like mad with a cup in one hand lookin for cash?
I havent seen him in a while but when i did see him it was a few times over a couple of days, he just walked away when he seen the guards coming.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 15-01-2009 11:12AM

Poor lil fella, he's bending over backwards just to eke a living.

Zzippy wrote: »

I beg to differ.

I beg your pardon?

seanybiker · 15-01-2009 11:17AM

Sounds like the fella me mother seen here in town(waterford). Sounds bad but me mother couldnt stop laughing.

15-01-2009 11:22AM

I'm still pretty sure I saw him in Quake.

Krieg · 15-01-2009 11:56AM

Fracture wrote: »

On that note has anyone seen the romanian looking guy standing about on shop street with 2 crutches shaking like mad with a cup in one hand lookin for cash?
I havent seen him in a while but when i did see him it was a few times over a couple of days, he just walked away when he seen the guards coming.

Yeah he is still around. He is always on eglinton st. now, in between BT and the post office

15-01-2009 12:45PM

Is it just his legs that face in the other direction or is it his entire bottom half. I mean does he need to take a piss with a mirror and a crap lying down.

15-01-2009 01:13PM

Speaking of beggers, you guys come across the guy outside Ulster Bank asking "You any spare change"? You say no and he pulls a mobile out his pocket and starts using it. He's usually around in the evenings and has a cup of tea or coffee from Supermacs.

m83 · 15-01-2009 01:56PM

peterswellman wrote: »

Speaking of beggers, you guys come across the guy outside Ulster Bank asking "You any spare change"? You say no and he pulls a mobile out his pocket and starts using it. He's usually around in the evenings and has a cup of tea or coffee from Supermacs.

I hate that guy!!

JohnCleary · 15-01-2009 02:02PM

peterswellman wrote: »

Speaking of beggers, you guys come across the guy outside Ulster Bank asking "You any spare change"? You say no and he pulls a mobile out his pocket and starts using it. He's usually around in the evenings and has a cup of tea or coffee from Supermacs.

Whenever I get asked that question I just reply with "Yeah, loads" and keep walking :pac:

15-01-2009 04:14PM

He started asking me where I was living and I just said Renmore. He then claimed to be a Renmore man all his life. Wanker is not poor, probably just too lazy/mean to work.

Krieg · 15-01-2009 04:39PM

peterswellman wrote: »

Speaking of beggers, you guys come across the guy outside Ulster Bank asking "You any spare change"? You say no and he pulls a mobile out his pocket and starts using it. He's usually around in the evenings and has a cup of tea or coffee from Supermacs.

Im confused, is he trying to insinuate that he is going to ring/text some lads to come around and knock the crap out of you for not giving him change?

mollymolly · 04-03-2009 09:31PM

this is actually a woman. comes into my shop sometimes. her legs sre amputated from the thigh down and she stuffs cardboard in her jeans. ive seen her accidentally put her crutch on her leg and it just went flat.

Tomebagel · 04-03-2009 09:35PM

mollymolly wrote: »

this is actually a woman. comes into my shop sometimes. her legs sre amputated from the thigh down and she stuffs cardboard in her jeans. ive seen her accidentally put her crutch on her leg and it just went flat.

no this is a different person buddy:o

bigeasyeah · 05-03-2009 12:25AM

Zzippy wrote: »

I beg to differ.

beggars cant be choosers

doolox · 05-03-2009 01:08AM

There will be more like him as this depression deepens.

Pub07 · 05-03-2009 08:50AM

bigeasyeah wrote: »

beggars cant be choosers

I beg your pardon?

vulcan57 · 05-03-2009 09:01AM

doolox wrote: »

There will be more like him as this depression deepens.

The depression makes yer legs go wonky?:eek:

bigeasyeah · 05-03-2009 09:44AM

Pub07 wrote: »

I beg your pardon?

it beggars belief

Zzippy · 05-03-2009 10:15AM

doolox wrote: »

There will be more like him as this depression deepens.

Sorry for your troubles. If you're extremely depressed you really should consult a doctor. If you're just mildly depressed maybe join a club or take up a sport. Don't get too down, the summer's coming!

LadyMayBelle · 05-03-2009 10:32AM

Tis all fun and games until somebody loses a leg.

gmkgreaney · 05-03-2009 10:59AM

rarnes1 wrote: »

I seen him jogging out in Salthill. Was horrified.

lmao

banshee_bones · 05-03-2009 11:09AM

yeah i have seen him around a good bit now... he is rather unfortunate looking...

bigeasyeah · 05-03-2009 11:52AM

LadyPennyworth wrote: »

Tis all fun and games until somebody loses a leg.

too many leg and limb sayings have now clogged my brain.

Thargor · 05-03-2009 02:53PM

I dont see how faking that makes more money, I give him a wide berth and everyone else does aswell it seems, there's usually a few feet of clear space around him even when Shop St is busy.

LadyMayBelle · 05-03-2009 05:33PM

All the funny sayings and photos are on their second round at this stage

Fracture · 05-03-2009 08:42PM

right if its the guy i think your all talking about then he's a fake, it was about 6 months ago, he was outside schuh leaning against the wall, with a crutch in each arm, his legs bent in the way and shaking like a bad drama student pretending to be a shaky person

How do i know he is a fake you ask?
Well after i seen him begging, i said to my gf, that lad is bs, thats one desperate begger, i looked back and seen 2 guards coming up tig coli and he just suddenly (like a miracle) stoped, and started walking to the top of shop street behind us.

stevendcarroll · 05-03-2009 11:06PM

If ye are talking about the same person that i am thinking about (legs bent forward, says nothing other than "please" (sounds kinda like beep) in a really high pitched voice) then firstly it is a woman, it's really hard to belive, but my friend told me to pay close attention to her as opposed to avoiding eye contact! And SHE can walk on the legs, but its kinda like crawling sept she has really short crutches! 100% her shins are not fake cos i'v seen the bottom of her shins!

Robbo · 05-03-2009 11:10PM

stevendcarroll wrote: »

If ye are talking about the same person that i am thinking about (legs bent forward, says nothing other than "please" (sounds kinda like beep) in a really high pitched voice) then firstly it is a woman, it's really hard to belive, but my friend told me to pay close attention to her as opposed to avoiding eye contact! And SHE can walk on the legs, but its kinda like crawling sept she has really short crutches! 100% her shins are not fake cos i'v seen the bottom of her shins!

That's Johnny Wronglegs, from the "the strange characters of galway city" thread.

LadyMayBelle · 05-03-2009 11:36PM

Fracture wrote: »

right if its the guy i think your all talking about then he's a fake, it was about 6 months ago, he was outside schuh leaning against the wall, with a crutch in each arm, his legs bent in the way and shaking like a bad drama student pretending to be a shaky person
How do i know he is a fake you ask?
Well after i seen him begging, i said to my gf, that lad is bs, thats one desperate begger, i looked back and seen 2 guards coming up tig coli and he just suddenly (like a miracle) stoped, and started walking to the top of shop street behind us.

There's two different people, That guy you're describing is very different from the Johnny Wronglegs guy/girl. Ya kinda got see him/her to see what makes him/her so unique..

topper75 · 06-03-2009 02:25PM

It's fantastic the way people can see them for free out in the street nowadays.

Back in my day, they were hidden in a tent, and you had to pay five shillings to enter.

TheCosmicFrog · 06-03-2009 10:36PM

stevendcarroll wrote: »

If ye are talking about the same person that i am thinking about (legs bent forward, says nothing other than "please" (sounds kinda like beep) in a really high pitched voice) then firstly it is a woman, it's really hard to belive, but my friend told me to pay close attention to her as opposed to avoiding eye contact! And SHE can walk on the legs, but its kinda like crawling sept she has really short crutches! 100% her shins are not fake cos i'v seen the bottom of her shins!

Steve, why do you let on to know so little, yet know so much?!

Please, give us more wisdom!

And is it really a girl? He/she wears pink shoes, but still...

Beggar - is he for real?

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