Are there a lot of beggars in Dominica or is it just a few people who consistently ask for money?

William Kennedy writes in response to this and this:

Are there a lot of beggars in Dominica or is it just a few people who consistently ask for money?

It depends what you mean by "a lot."

In general there are just a few people that constantly ask for money. Just to put it in perspective; in the 9 months I've been on the island I've been asked for money from roughly 6-8 different people. This is including Bob, who begged me for money roughly twice a week, every week last semester. The man is persistent. (He's a pro.)

And why am I bringing up Bob again?

Because he struck again today, of course.

These past few weeks leading up to the mini I've been spending more and more time on campus. Almost every day these days I walk to campus in the morning and take the shuttle home late at night/early the next morning. I bring this up because most of the time Bob strikes in the afternoons or around dusk.

In summary: Lately, the only times I've ever been at my apartment have been the hours I've been sleeping. This means the time that I've spent walking back and forth to my apartment has been cut in half. And in the time that I'm out of my apartment, the majority of that time is almost exclusively on campus.

...And yet Bob always finds a way.

So it's like this;

Me and the rest of the entire 2nd semester is going to be studying all night long for tomorrow's first Neuroscience Practical exam. I'm hungry, the sun is setting, and the last of the food shacks are going to close soon. The Shacks are located in and around the main side-entrance to campus. It's basically an extension of the campus, but it's outside of the gate, so it's a public area. I go to buy some pizza, but I only have a $50 on me. Many times the people at the Shacks hate getting large bills because it's a hassle to get more change if they run out. I get my 2 slices of pizza for $7 each and wait for my change.

"Bro."

"Hey, bro."

("You've got to be kidding me...")

Bob's back.

Long story short; I have 2 slices of pizza in one hand, he just saw me stuff a 20 dollar bill, a 10 dollar bill, and a 5 dollar bill in my pocket, and he's asking for money to buy some food. I give him the single dollar in my other hand, watch the look of disappointment on his face as he was hoping to get more and I just turn and leave.

I know what you're thinking: Didn't you say that you weren't going to give him a dime this semester? That would've been the case, but the conversation went something like this:

"I've already given you a lot." I say out loud what we both know is true.

"I know, man. I know. But this is the last time. I promise." He says.

"The last time?" I prod him again and fish for him to repeat what he just said.

"The last time." He affirms.

Those were the magic words for me because what happens next now becomes very simple:

• Plan A: Throw the phrase, "This is the last time" back in his face the next time he asks me for anything.
  
• And if that fails...
  
• Plan B: Swear the shit out of him and see what he does next.

And why do I keep talking about Bob? Because I want you to understand my frustration. There's too much on the line here for me that will literally effect the rest of my life and there is so much more here to worry about than to have to think about habitual beggars, begging me for money I don't have. I talk about it now because it's relevant to what it's like to be out here studying at Ross. All Bob see's are the tens-of-thousands of East Caribbean Dollars each of the students has on them or in their bank accounts. The irony of it all is the fact that whenever I've said, "I don't have anything" to him in the past, I wasn't lying. Every cent I have on me and every dollar to my name is borrowed from the U.S. government. I have nothing to my name and here this guy comes along asking and begging and pleading for me for money that isn't mine. If you think about it, he has more money than I do.

And the saddest thing about it is that when he finally fucks off, he's just going to continue on with all of the other students he's been begging and then continue on to beg future students as they rotate through the island.

(To be continued, I'm sure...)