I was in the drive-thru line at McDonald's this afternoon, having just ordered my pre-processed burger meal, when a homeless lady materialized next to my open window. She spoke, but I had the stereo blasting so I asked her to repeat what she said. She laughed a mostly toothsome smile (there were some gaps from missing teeth) and asked if I could "spare a penny". Unfortunately, I only had a $20 on me, so I asked if she wanted something from the menu. She was taken back and muttered that a little cheeseburger would be nice. I told her to wait at the end of the line, and added a super-sized quarter-pounder meal onto my order at the first window. While I was waiting for the food, a cop car pulled up and the officers got out and started shoo-ing the little woman, telling her she couldn't be there and had to move on. I yelled to the officers saying she was with me, and got out of my car and gave the woman the bag of food (mine was still in there too). All three (the 2 cops and the lady) just stared at me as though a small orange marmoset named Lt. McFlappy had erupted from my right temple and was singing ABBA in a Barry White voice. The lead officer sighed and told the woman she couldn't "beg" there anymore. When they got into their car, the lady turned to me and said "bless you". And I drove back to work and had yogurt for lunch.
Now many of you have probably been low on funds or in need of a job at one time or another. Myself: in a 20-month stint a ways back- due to disability and being laid off & unable to find a job ("Over-qualified"? F**K YOU!!! Gimme a damn job! Me 'n my dog're hungry, ya bastard!), I only worked 4 months. At one point I was digging through dumpsters to collect recyclables every day to afford food and rent (a fact I've never previously shared nor am particularly proud of- even though it was pride that made me do it instead of asking my family or friends for money).
My problem is- when did people decide the homeless were sub-human and beneath the rest of us?
I mean: yes, some people living on the street (tramps, beggars, bums, hobos, bag-ladies, homeless, whatever (screw "P.C.")) are there when they should be in hospitals and some have alcohol or self-medicating drug problems. I've run across several teens hardcore-tweaking, wearing new pristine shoes I couldn't afford, out there begging for a buck. But some (a growing number with the rising unemployment) are there because they can't get a job. That's it- no one will hire them for some reason. Without a job, they can't afford a place to stay or food or clean cloths (yeah, I'm saying some are smelly but hey- if your choices were to do laundry with what change you could collect or eat that day, which would you choose?). Those less fortunate tend to remind people how bad things could be, and most of us tend to lump all homeless into the "crazy, drugged out" category without any clues. I'm not saying you should go up to every street person you see and introduce yourself, 'cause you'll eventually run into one of the crazies; it's just the odds.
But maybe we could look them in the eyes, not ignore their existence. Politely decline if we can't spare any change, not pretend our phones are on vibrate and we just got that ever-so-important call we've been waiting on for, like, e-ver.
The homeless are, after all, people. And if things were different, any one of us could be standing next to them asking to "spare a penny".
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