Just A Gentle Reminder....

That people are still human beings.

I was walking to my spin class today, and half a block in front of me, a woman started yelling at a man who was asking for change. Out of nowhere I heard "WHY SHOULD I GIVE YOU MONEY? I GO TO WORK EVERY DAY AND ALL YOU DO IS STAND HERE AND ASK FOR MONEY, YOU DON'T DESERVE A FUCKING CENT"

I felt SO bad for this man, who was just standing on the street corner, holding out his coffee cup. He was gentle, wasn't in anyone's face at all, did not look like he was strung out on drugs, drunk, or intoxicated in any way.

I immediately opened my wallet and gave him a two dollar coin. I said "You do not deserve to be spoken to like that, I don't know what that woman's problem was".

People are human beings. Just because someone is out on the street begging for money, doesn't mean you have to give them any, but you definitely don't have the right to yell at them, especially if they are just minding their own business.

I would like to see what karma has in store for that lady.

 

Some people go through life looking for a whipping-boy.

I guess she thought she'd found hers today.

 

There is a lot of stigma for homeless people these days which is unfair, even for addicts. I agree, there is no need to treat people badly, some people have been lucky enough to have had a good start in life, others have temperaments or issues that make life more of a struggle. A little understanding goes a long way.

 

what a bitch. She's probably the type who yells at fast food workers, people in call centers thousands of miles away, grocery cashiers, her assistant, etc. Some people are just horrible people.

 

There is so much stigma around homelessness, I agree. It breaks my heart. I can understand struggling financially and literally not having any spare change because you need every penny you have, but that does not mean you have to be unkind to people asking for money on the street.

Everyone has a different story as to why they are out on the streets. What if that mans wife passed away, and he lost his home because he couldn't afford to pay the bills after her death?

What if the youth you see sitting outside 7-11 is actually on the streets because they are getting abused at home?

Seeing that lady yell at the guy today not only surprised me, but reminded me how important kindness really is.

 

Yeah, you don't really know what someone's story is. There's really no good in yelling like that, and think of all the harm you could be causing to someone who's had it far worse than they deserve.

 

People are generally too hard on themselves and others. That woman probably hates her job so she resents people that aren't working.

 

on the topic of hobos, just a reminder folks

 

maybe she knows the guy

and maybe he deserved it

 

I have to agree with the women. Especially if that man was anything like the gypsies we have over here.

Now I can appreciate someone being down and out and having to beg, but I do not appreciate when they cross the boundary into my personal space asking for money.

The ones who are on their knees and their face on the ground with the hands out are my favorite.

Not that I ever give anything to them, but they don't bother me either.

Sometimes, someone, somewhere... just needs to say it straight.

That I will applaud.

 

I come to an intersection in town that usually has a few pan-handlers in the roadways, coming up to the sides of cars. this one day there was a large piece of debris in the roadway, nothing to hazardous but some type of foam insulation , sort of big..

As one the panhandlers come to my car. I got a little pissy because he walked right past the debris and didnt even bother to pick it up .. so I said something to him like "your out here all goddamn day begging money and cant even pick up a piece of trash in the roadway you fucking idiot!!"/

When Im just about finished cursing him . this kid waiting at the bus stop12/14ish yrs old walks out into the roadway- late cause the lights are about to change and picks up the foam. He had to scoot across the road cause the light had changed.. I blew my horn and give the kid a thumbs up as I passed him. That kid didnt hear me say anything to the panhandler, it was to far, he walked out there all on his own to get the trash off the road. There may be hope for the future after all.

 

I would have given the kid a buck, Ori!

 

the light changed when he was in the middle of the roadway. I couldnt have stopped if I wanted to. traffic here is like nascar when green flagged. I would of given him money just to piss off the panhandler ..

 

An aside: One day at the guitar building school we were standing out front talking and there was this one student, older guy that always dressed like a "bum" (old term for someone down on their luck) He's standing there drinking his coffee and this guy walks by and drops some change into his coffee cup...

 

I definitely do not appreciate anyone crossing into my personal space for money, and when it happens, I get very angry.

This guy was just standing on the street corner, holding out an empty coffee cup though. He definitely wasn't in anyone's way, or invading anyone's personal space.

 

Ahahahahahaha okay, that is kind of funny...although I am sure the guy was pretty upset though.

 

Well, maybe he did. I'd rather err on the side of not chewing out someone who doesn't deserve it.

 

This.

 

I usually don't give out cash, since I suspect that a lot of the time the money would go to feeding an addiction. I'll buy people food sometimes though.

A little bit of sympathy or a kind word is free though, no need to be stingy with it.

There's all kinds of homeless people/ pan handlers. You'll find the best and the worst that's in the human heart there.

There's a few pan handlers I've know that kind of stand out. This one guy was one of the most gentle seeming people I've ever met. He would sell the homelss paper, and every time I'd seem him he'd say "Hello Gentleman". I'd talk to him for a little while, and when I would leave, he would say "Have a nice day Gentleman".

 

"Your going to reap, just what you Sow..." Lou Reed song 'Perfect Day' -Trasformer.