A story with a moral

[noog]

Yesterday afternoon, I was walking up NW 23rd Avenue, nonchalantly minding my own business, heading for Escape from New York Pizza, when a man sitting on the sidewalk asked me for change. I didn't want to give any to him, because I didn't have any in my pockets, and I don't feel comfortable getting out my wallet and digging through it to give

Comments

Oh, my...

[jasonecaesar]

I'm so sorry. :-( Good moral, though...

[drek_campbell]

Amen sister.

[kitsunepixiemd]

Aw...I wonder if that fellow frequents that sidewalk...maybe some soup or something to bring him sometime...:/

[sonatine]

Not to make light of your karmic kick in the ass, but--

Does that mean the guy who was holding up the sign that said "Your bigotry towards the homeless makes you the moral equivalent of a Nazi" will get mugged at knifepoint by a heroin monkey who needs money for a fix?

And come over on Monday. I'll make you those zucchini fritters I've been promising you all last week.

[noog]

Monday? I thought we were set for Tuesday.

In any event, I can't come over tomorrow, because my car is shot and I have to take it to a mechanic. With luck, I'll have my car back by the end of the day. Without it, it'll take longer. If things are going REALLY shittily, it'll be more expensive for me to fix the damn thing than it will be for me to by a new car, in which case I won't have a car for the rest of the summer. Let's hope I'm lucky.

[sonatine]

Yeah, we're set for Tuesday (how about 11?), I was just wondering if you wanted to come over on Monday too.

*pokes Mr. Hankey* Get better, dammit.

(Are you online right now? I changed my AIM name. PearWaldorf if you see this.)

[fionnghuala]

Horrible story. It's so hard deciding what to do about people like that. My general policy is to give to all of them, but sometimes I'm feeling poor or something else stops me.

But it just is so wrong to step over someone in need.

Tho of course they're all secretly millionaires... ;)

[noog]

What I need to do is get in the practice of just keeping change in my pockets. That way, I would always have change to spare, and I wouldn't have to go through the equally uncomfortable choices of ignoring the person or sifting through my wallet for change.

I don't like stepping over people. Especially when the economic and unemployment situation in my city is as horrible as it is.

[fionnghuala]

A few years ago I lived in London, and knew that I'd encounter people begging regularly. I got into the habit of giving food rather than money. If I was feeling organised, I'd have a couple of wrapped flapjacks in my bag, or some fruit that I could give out, otherwise I'd go into a shop and buy something, or invite them to have lunch with me.

It made me feel more involved and in control of what I was doing. Also helped me to quench the niggling doubts that they weren't what they seemed. I'd heard stories of beggars being aggressive or ungrateful with people offering food. But actually everyone I've ever given food to has looked really grateful, and opened up packets and immediately started to eat hungrily - and that includes stuff like half-eaten candy bars, and skanky stuff out of the bottom of my pockets if I haven't got anything else to give.

[noog]

Hmm... keeping food in your pocket is actually a really good idea. I'm going to have to do that when I go out into the city. Thanks!