interesting ...
i can relate to how you felt about the old guy -
we have a lot of beggars in the Ph and for some reasons some of them make you feel like you have to help them or go forward with a heaving heart if you don't and some makes you feel annoyed - for some reasons something about them seems fake (no judging on this side just sharing them old emos back then)

not tooting my own horns but I've never given any cent to any beggar back in the Ph.. what my folks taught us was to give them something to eat because sometimes they just use them cents or money to do their vices.

Here, I haven't seen any beggar but some men play some musical instrument and they could really play well so I couldn't help but give something too and if they really play their best with a smile as if they are not really begging but they actually are - bills aren't enough and laying them on their guitar or money bin isn't enough so waiting for them to finish and hand it on their hands at the same time looking in their eyes when you do that sort'a makes me feel more .. connected .. which I don't really intend to do - it just happened perhaps because the person didn't just ask for help they gave something or did something and sometimes something freaking awesome having written that .. I'm not sure I can call that begging anymore