Today I saw a disturbing image.I was driving down Westport road making my way to the hospital on the Plaza. As I approached the red light, I see a homeless man on the corner of the intersection holding a sign that was very similiar to the one above. I felt sorry for him standing out in the freezing cold temperature & had hoped he wasn't too hungry & was able to keep warm in the 9 degree temps. This however wasn't the disturbing image that I saw.
It was the events that occurred next.
A business van pulled up to the homeless guy & handed him what looked like a little box of cookies & a fast food breakfast sandwich of some sort. I was thinking to myself how very nice that was of the van guy & that the hungry homeless man was going to be able to eat a little something. As soon as these warm fuzzy thoughts entered my head they quickly disappeared as I witness the homeless man pretend to put them in his pocket, looked to his left, then to his right & then threw the cookies & sandwich in the snow. Un - frickin - believable. My light had turned green by then & the impatient driver behind me honked & startled me out of my disbelief of what I just saw. Some kind person handed this "homeless" man food & he threw it in the snow. How ungrateful can you be when you are the one standing out there with a "hungry" sign?!
As I drove away, I started thinking. Maybe this man wasn't homeless at all? Maybe he was just out there trying to collect money from the poor suckers like myself who feel sorry for them? And the more I thought about it, he sure didn't look like he had missed one too many meals - if you know what I mean? He was a BIG homeless guy with a BIG belly. He also had on a really nice gray, wool Peacoat too - not something a "homeless" man might wear.
Whatever his story, the ungratefulness he showed today has forever changed my attitude towards homeless people standing on the street corner. Don't think I'll be handing out any spare change or food to these people anytime soon. I ain't no sucker.
2 comments:
Two thoughts:
1. A few years ago, I saw a woman and her daughter in Lawrence, standing at an intersection with a similar sign. It was really hot out. I was broke and in college, (okay, more than a few years ago, I guess), but I bought them each a cold soda and a sandwich. Her response was to tell me that they only drank caffeine free, and then pick at the sandwich as if deciding if it would be edible. I was so turned off.
2. Then, two years ago I headed up the "adopt a family" program at work for Christmas. I was in charge of speaking with the family and identifying their needs. It was an experience I will never forget. They gave me a list a mile long, informed me that most corporate groups just gave "cash", and they asked for items that totaled into the thousands. I was stunned. I called the lady back who had put me in touch with this needy/greedy family and said, "Uh,yeah, find them a new group, because they're asking for things that I can't afford to buy my own loved ones."
And finally, I am a bleeding heart. Someone tells me a story, I believe them. Always. And I hate to see people hurting. So about 4 months ago, I'm seeing a patient in Independence, and as I come off a ramp from I-70 I see a man exactly like the one that you described. I gave him $5 when the light was red. He "god blessed" me and thanked me over and over. I felt so happy. Until I came back to see that patient the next week and saw him still sitting there. I think sitting there WAS his job. Ugh.
Anyway, sorry to write a book, but I know exactly how you feel. I haven't stopped caring, or helping, but I am becoming much more skeptical, and I am not nearly as naive anymore about the beggar types.
Right there with you. We have a homeless guy that works a couple of stoplights near my house and I've often wondered how much money he makes and what motivates him to stay on the streets like that. We've lived in our neighborhood for almost two years and I've seen him for at least that long and who knows how long he was there before we got there.
I care and my heart is not stone but I have such a hard time wondering why they don't do SOMETHING to help themselves? I mean, there are so many programs to help people that I just can't believe that they HAVE to be on the streets.
Then again I'm thankful that I'll never have to personally contemplate such questions.
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