Ch. 24 : Giving Money to Beggars
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I have to say that I haven't met an aggressive beggar in London. In New York, crossing 58th Street from the Plaza Oyster Bar to the Wyndham Hotel, I came up against a huge black man in a long, dark overcoat who said, in deep and threatening tones, "Give me fifty dollars!" I managed to ask him if he would be content with thirty-five and, rather to my surprise, he said, "All right, give me thirty-five dollars!" And so the deal was done.
— John Mortimer
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I have to say that I haven't met an aggressive beggar in London. In New York, crossing 58th Street from the Plaza Oyster Bar to the Wyndham Hotel, I came up against a huge black man in a long, dark overcoat who said, in deep and threatening tones, "Give me fifty dollars!" I managed to ask him if he would be content with thirty-five and, rather to my surprise, he said, "All right, give me thirty-five dollars!" And so the deal was done." in the context of "Ch. 24 : Giving Money to Beggars" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "John Mortimer" (Quotes, Where There's a Will: Thoughts on the Good Life (2003))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About John Mortimer
John Mortimer QC (21 April 1923 – 16 January 2009) was an English barrister and writer, best known for his Rumpole of the Bailey television drama series and books.
About John Mortimer
John Mortimer QC (21 April 1923 – 16 January 2009) was an English barrister and writer, best known for his Rumpole of the Bailey television drama series and books.
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