While on the way back to the office from lunch, a shabby and unkempt middle-aged man from far across the other side of the sidewalk started hailing us. Well, we weren’t entirely sure if he was trying to get our attention until I realised, to our surprise, that he was speaking to us in Tagalog (Filipino).

He told us in Tagalog that he doesn’t have money for the train and he lives all the way to Geelong (imagine someone living in Laguna stuck in Manila). I wasn’t at all sure if he genuinely needed help or was he a fellow Filipino trying to make it as a beggar in the city. Since we were in a rush and I really didn’t have much money left in my wallet, I just gave him 20 cents from my pocket, told him that I was sorry for not being able to give him more and moved on.

It took me another minute or two to realise how he knew we were even Filipinos. Was he stalking us before he approached us? Raquel supposed that maybe since we look like Filipinos (naturally), he tried to talk to us in Tagalog, just in case.

If he was genuinely in need then he could just as easily ask assistance from the police or something. He wouldn’t be living alone in Melbourne for sure. He could try calling his friends and/or family to help him out. Well, if he was fair dinkum, then I hope that he was able to get help and got home safely.