The homeless
Question: What's more fun than a spur of the moment blog?
Answer: A million dollars? Three naked women willing to do your bidding? How about a cheesecake. Hell finding a dollar on the ground is even more fun. I don't give a shit where that dollar has been, it's mine now bitch.
Anyway, hi people. I saw this on the bus ride home today and it got me thinking. Actually I'm full of shit I was falling asleep the whole ride home and barely thought about anything but the strippers passing through my mind. But still, I'm sure I had a moment of clarity at some point.
I saw a man, a black man- not that the race really matters in this case, at a bus stop. He was walking with a sort of limp, but wearing a Boston Celtics t-shirt cause even bums have pride in their respective cities. Anyway I'm pretty sure he wanted money, shit at least some chump change. The bus stop also happens to be in Chinatown. I'm sure none of this matters but he happened to walk up to an Asian, more likely Asian American (This PC bullshit is starting to itch) and probably said "Hey douchebag you can afford all those sweet electronics, drop a c-note on me would ya? I need some blow and a cheap hooker!" Sometimes they are honest, often not. Clean and sober, sure you are. So anyway, this guy would not even look the homeless man in the face. He didn't even respond, just did everything in his power to look the other way and pretend he only spoke Chinese or something ridiculous. And I had to wonder, at what point did that other guy become less than a man. It was as if it were a stray cat begging for some food and shelter from the cheap restaurants. How fucking cruel can we be? Who knows what that guy went through to get where he is- maybe he never has even had a place to call home. For all this little prick knows, he could have been an orphan, living the streets his whole life. And yet somehow that warrants less than EYE contact as appropriate? Appauling.
I handle the homeless much better. Take my situation the other week. Guy comes up to me while I'm standing at the ATM, and asks if he can have a few bucks. The irony, ATMs only dispense $20, rarely $10 at a time. And I might be generous, sometimes, but no way this guy was getting more than a couple bucks off me. So I turn to him, wondering if he's joking, but he wasn't. He looked like the chief from Rescue Me, which made things more interesting. Dressed like any other person you would see on the street didn't smell too terrible- but was very blunt. "C'mon man, I just want to get a beer" he says.... it's NOON! I have had my days but this was a MONDAY! "Buddy, I'm at an ATM, you think I have any cash?" "Cmon, just a couple bucks" he responds. For whatever reason, the ATM was out of service. He keeps trying though. "Hey the Red Sox are winning!" I'm still being nice at this point, though I had little reason to be, apparently. "Uh, actually, they're playing at 7pm tonight" I figured the only other thing two complete strangers, one probably half drunk, one kinda jealous, could talk about at this point.... was the weather? No, he keeps going.
"Well, there's an ATM just a block down, c'mon I'll walk with you"
At that point I was a little insulted, yet A for effort, and walked away in the other direction. Point is, I didn't spit on him, I didn't completely ignore him, I said my piece and told him no. I treated him like a man, a drunk or at least desperately seeking drunk man, but still, I did not shed him of what dignity he may have had left. To avoid even eye contact with someone is a huge insult. So next time you see a bum, strike up a conversation. Just try to stay downwind.
Answer: A million dollars? Three naked women willing to do your bidding? How about a cheesecake. Hell finding a dollar on the ground is even more fun. I don't give a shit where that dollar has been, it's mine now bitch.
Anyway, hi people. I saw this on the bus ride home today and it got me thinking. Actually I'm full of shit I was falling asleep the whole ride home and barely thought about anything but the strippers passing through my mind. But still, I'm sure I had a moment of clarity at some point.
I saw a man, a black man- not that the race really matters in this case, at a bus stop. He was walking with a sort of limp, but wearing a Boston Celtics t-shirt cause even bums have pride in their respective cities. Anyway I'm pretty sure he wanted money, shit at least some chump change. The bus stop also happens to be in Chinatown. I'm sure none of this matters but he happened to walk up to an Asian, more likely Asian American (This PC bullshit is starting to itch) and probably said "Hey douchebag you can afford all those sweet electronics, drop a c-note on me would ya? I need some blow and a cheap hooker!" Sometimes they are honest, often not. Clean and sober, sure you are. So anyway, this guy would not even look the homeless man in the face. He didn't even respond, just did everything in his power to look the other way and pretend he only spoke Chinese or something ridiculous. And I had to wonder, at what point did that other guy become less than a man. It was as if it were a stray cat begging for some food and shelter from the cheap restaurants. How fucking cruel can we be? Who knows what that guy went through to get where he is- maybe he never has even had a place to call home. For all this little prick knows, he could have been an orphan, living the streets his whole life. And yet somehow that warrants less than EYE contact as appropriate? Appauling.
I handle the homeless much better. Take my situation the other week. Guy comes up to me while I'm standing at the ATM, and asks if he can have a few bucks. The irony, ATMs only dispense $20, rarely $10 at a time. And I might be generous, sometimes, but no way this guy was getting more than a couple bucks off me. So I turn to him, wondering if he's joking, but he wasn't. He looked like the chief from Rescue Me, which made things more interesting. Dressed like any other person you would see on the street didn't smell too terrible- but was very blunt. "C'mon man, I just want to get a beer" he says.... it's NOON! I have had my days but this was a MONDAY! "Buddy, I'm at an ATM, you think I have any cash?" "Cmon, just a couple bucks" he responds. For whatever reason, the ATM was out of service. He keeps trying though. "Hey the Red Sox are winning!" I'm still being nice at this point, though I had little reason to be, apparently. "Uh, actually, they're playing at 7pm tonight" I figured the only other thing two complete strangers, one probably half drunk, one kinda jealous, could talk about at this point.... was the weather? No, he keeps going.
"Well, there's an ATM just a block down, c'mon I'll walk with you"
At that point I was a little insulted, yet A for effort, and walked away in the other direction. Point is, I didn't spit on him, I didn't completely ignore him, I said my piece and told him no. I treated him like a man, a drunk or at least desperately seeking drunk man, but still, I did not shed him of what dignity he may have had left. To avoid even eye contact with someone is a huge insult. So next time you see a bum, strike up a conversation. Just try to stay downwind.
posted by official dynasty at
5:37 PM
2 Comments:
I'm glad you wrote that. It made me smile to know that there are decent human beings like you left mingling in our society.
I always talk to random people, especially if they approach me. I don't give money but if in the random yet highly plausable situation that someone feels inclined to tell me their story and I feel compelled, I will give them a good meal to fill their stomachs and help other ways if I can.
I've sadly been in the other person's shoes and let me tell you, it redefines humility and life as you know it to muster up enough courage to ask somebody for help and even more to share your own personal story.
Lucky for me, there were those people generous enough to listen and some with the ability to help.
Dane, you are still a crazy little bitch. Did you become a back model yet? Porn *
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home