Why do people have no pride anymore? Why, every time I have to stop at an intersection on a busy street, do I feel the need to carry on an entirely made up phone conversation with an entirely made up person? I do this, of course to avoid the look. You know the look. The sad puppy dog eyes. Or the slightly crazy twitch of the mouth. The same old clothes you've seen him in for the last 4 days. The unkempt hair. And the sign. Always the sign.
"Hungry. Homeless. Need a hand." Almost always followed by a scripture reference, or, at the least, a "God Bless". Sometimes the signs are just a simple plea. "Any Help Appreciated." Sometimes they just reference a destination. "El Paso".(why would anybody willingly ask for a ride to El Paso?) Sometimes they tell a story to try to pull on the old heart-strings. "Traveling missionary temporarily stuck in this wonderous city of yours. Only need enough money to get back to the orphanage in New Guinea. God will grant you extreme favor for any bit of generosity."(big piece of cardboard!) My personal favorite was "Why Lie? I need a beer!" I gave him a buck. I figured, WTH, I've been in that situation myself.(more than once) Or the time in Vegas, when there was a guy on the sidewalk with a sign saying "Pictures. $1". The amazing thing about that one was the line of chicks sitting down to take a picture with the old dude.(might need to try that myself)
How many of these people are actually homeless? I don't guess they particularly need to be homeless, but why don't they get a job? I'm pretty sure it's because the begging thing pays better. Think about it. When you're sitting at a red-light (on an imaginary phone call) watch the cars in front of you. Almost every time, at least one person will give them a buck. The average wait at a traffic light is probably about a minute, so assuming he gets a dollar every light change, that's $1 every 4 minutes. That's pretty good wages. There's probably a lot of people who would like to make $15 per hour. Tax free.
Once upon a time, a couple of years ago, I went into a combination convenience store and fast food restaurant to get myself a healthy dose of cholesterol. As I'm walking up to the restaurant, I see a big truck parked outside. When I go in, I notice a man sitting at a booth with his I-phone plugged into the wall. I naturally assume it's the truck driver charging his phone. After I get my burger with 2 all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun, I'm walking back out & say to myself, "self" I say, "that dudes not a truck driver. He's the guy that's been begging on the corner for money the last few weeks". What the Crap? The dude that's begging me for money has a better phone than I do!(not surprising to many of you I know) An I-frickin phone!(I don't know where the truck driver was)
There was a time when pride came into the equation. As in, "I've got too much pride to go stand on the street corner and beg for money. I'll get a job flippin burgers first". I don't know about you, but I'd STILL rather flip burgers than go stand on a street corner and beg for money. And if, by chance, I ever see you standing on a street corner begging for money, don't come to my window. I'm on the phone.
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