A couple of days ago I stopped at the Walgreens next to my office to buy a Arizona Cranberry Tea (which is really good) and a Sunday paper when someone came up to me asking for some money so they could catch the bus downtown. This Walgreens where I was approached in on 16th and Meridian. For those of you who are not familiar with Indianapolis, this IS downtown! Now not only are you begging but you are also a liar. Had you just asked me for beer money, I might have helped this person out. Really, who am I kidding? I still wouldn't have given him anything.
I have not always been this way, I remember one holiday season I was making my rounds in the U-City Loop in St. Louis when a homeless man approached me. I knew I was in for it because he started off by telling me he did not need a ride. What? After we get that out of the way he goes into a story about how he had survived a stabbing, and that the person who did it has been convicted. At this point I really wish he would get to the point. Sensing that I was growing impatient he asked if he could get seven dollars to get a room for the night and three meals. (Side note: If anyone can tell me where to get 3 hots and a cot for seven dollars or less other than jail please let me know) I told myself that I’m not coming off any money, but it was Christmas time and I had not really given any change to the bell ringers so I broke the guy off a couple of dollars. As I am about to be on my way he pulls the Jesus card to try and get 5 more bucks out of me. This always tugs at me a bit because of a play I saw in church when I was younger about having compassion towards your fellow man as if they were Jesus…or something like that; it was a long time ago. I just don’t want to get to the pearly gates and have Jesus bring up how I wouldn’t give him any money for a two-piece dark with biscuit. Anyway back to the homeless guy, he says in the name of Jesus I should give him some more money. At this point, I had had enough and I say “in the name of Jesus you’re only getting two dollars", and I keep it moving.
Now that one experience was not enough to sour me on helping my fellow man. Donald Trump of all people inspired me to stop giving people on the street money. I was watching this documentary on cable about children who are born into obscene wealth. They interview Trump’s youngest daughter and she tells a story about how her and her father saw a street person in the early nineties. She explained how her father pointed to the man and said “that man has two billion dollars more than me” For those of you who don’t remember at that time Donald Trump was going through bankruptcy at that time. Now I certainly can’t liken my financial situation to that of Donald Trump, but between student loans and credit cards the guy begging outside of the Walgreens has about twenty-five thousand dollars more than me.
I know that is some cold-blooded logic, but I said I would not give money away. If you are a homeless person with a hustle then perhaps we can work something out. In St. Louis somehow the homeless put out their own newspaper, which I always buy. Nobody hustles like the Chicago homeless. I’ve heard stories about how they will try and sell you everything from batteries to baby clothes. The last time I was there they tried to sell me a six-pack of white tube socks. Unfortunately I only had my check card on me. Now that I think about it, that is what I will tell people who want me to give them money from now on. Begging on the street has got to be rough in an increasingly paperless society.
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