Vagracy

5 Mar 2010

It’s not a very nice word and I would hazard a guess that most homeless people would rather not be associated with it, even though it just comes from the Middle English for “to wander”, which actually sounds quite pleasant. Here I am, vagranting about in the hills. La la la.

On a slight tangent, I will admit to not buying the Big Issue anymore. I bought it religiously for several years, even after it went up to a pound*. But two things happened. Firstly, I realised that I wasn’t reading it anymore, simply because it seemed (to me) to be filled with absolute shit. I thought about this. The big draw card of buying the Big Issue is that the vendors are working not begging – its empowerment and less patronising than charitable giving, or something. But surely this becomes bollocks if the only reason you are buying their newspaper is because they’re homeless? It’s a great way of raising awareness, but ethically there are other perfectly good ways of making a contribution, so I set up a direct debit to Shelter instead.

I still felt bad though. It’s not the vendors’ fault that John Bird knows as much about making an interesting magazine as a local council. Then, in the dying days of my purchasing habit, I encountered an increasing number (though still a minority) of sarky-sellers. You must know them.

Them: Big Issue, sir?

You: No thank you.

Them: (in tones of deep sarcasm) Well, have a lovely day, sir.

Well, I thought. They don’t know that I have one in my bag. Maybe I should mention it?

Them: Big Issue, sir?

You: No thank you, already got one.

Them: (derisive snort)

Then I didn’t feel so bad. Life’s too bleedin' short. There are hundreds of Big Issue vendors in London, so the odds are that many of the people who say “no thank you” are doing it because they already own the edition.

Perhaps they should give out stickers or something?

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* not a cheapskate thing – I just used to love a vendor who chanted “Buy the Big issue, 80p; Cos if you don’t I’ll get no tea”. ....