Oncee and the panhandler

I just add an odd experience in the transit mall. I was on the cell phone and this guy came up and gave me a long story about how his grandmother just died and…I was rude. I cut him off and asked him what he needed. I know I shouldn't give people money, but I do. I think there is a picture of in the panhandlers locker room with a caption that reads, “This man is a sucker.”

I was impatient with his story. If he wanted money, just ask for it. I pulled all the change I had out of my pocket. It was over a dollar in assorted coinage. He still wasn’t happy.

I walked on and he called me back. He told me God would not be happy with me. That it was all about love. Ok what if his grandmother had died. He was drunk. I gave him change. I’m not a trained grief counselor. We got in a staring match and I though he was going to take a swing at me.

I walked on.

I’m not sure I know what the moral of this story is. It’s unsettling, but I’m not sure what else I could have done.

If you are a panhandler, I always have change.