a Child Ignored at a restaurant (updated May 6th)

Olympus E-1 ,Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/100s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso200

Maybe I take some things too personally, I don't know - but this whole little senario at a pleasant little restaurant in Bantayan Town just bothered me, as everyone sitting & eating there completely ignored her when she indicated to them with her open hand and with her eyes if they would give her something - I don't know her name & I never saw her again after that.

This is the text from my pBase.com post for this image:
"...shot at a local upscale eatery in Bantayan Town during Holy Week, a child quietly asking for food or Pesos is ignored by over a dozen 'patrons of means' (fat & happy as I say, with discressionary income to spend, well dressed, etc.)
...a beautiful little child with short hair & deep eyes; she had tiny bits of sand crusted in & around her eyebrows.
...I didn't ignore her, but I was puzzled & saddened by those who did"

The child was not agressive at all, she didn't even speak a word - she just opened her hand to you, from a short distance - she didn't even come into 'your space'.

Maybe I could understand if we were at a cheap canteria eatery, where no one has money to burn.

I had taken LittleFish to this nice little restaurant in old Bantayan Town to treat her to dinner, as thanks for all the hard work she's been putting in with me, while working on my projects here (I wrote more about that in the posts above)

The food at this place is very good, yet very inexpensive (burgers, spaghetti, mango shakes, etc.) so I can come here once or twice a week for a slightly more than basic meal, and still eat very cheaply, within my means.

But we were at a very nice, cozy 'yuppie' restaurant, that attracts a 'Starbucks' type crowd, and that's where I saw this child, in & amongst the many patrons wearing clean & pressed casual clothing, and driving big cars & SUV's that were parked right outside.

All I'm saying, is that if anyone had the means to give something to a child, it was a restaurant crowd like this one.

Here, I always see the poor giving to the poor - friend to friend, neighbor to neighbor; they always seem to at least try to help each other, even when resources are scarse.

I almost never get to see it happen the other way.

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES