Help for the Homeless

It's been one of those days that everyone experiences at least once a year. Everything that could go wrong did starting with the alarm clock and ending with the time clock. Transportation was less than reliable, you got yelled at for something you did not do, a pigeon decided to say hello from above and that's within the first hour. Once you punch out for the day (and possibly race to the nearest happy hour), you see them. They definitely see you in all your angst, frustration and the need to be anywhere but where you are standing at that moment. To look at them - desperate, eager and dismissible. Yet, this time you can see that they are aware of their surroundings as well as their situation and not under the influence of any chemicals. They can also notice that you are a hardworking individual who has had an even harder day and in a way, want the exact day that you had because they will be compensated. They may think to themselves, 'Looks like this one will chew off my head in one bite, maybe next time'. You want to help because in today's economy, by some awful fluke - that could be you. Then come the series of questions that we all ask ourselves in that situation, 'Will they use my two dollars to go get a hit? Maybe it will go to food or shelter but just to be sure I will follow them to the store and make sure they buy and consume whatever it is, that's not asking too much, right?

I try to give food or clothing when it is convenient and maybe a couple of dollars when I am in an insanely good mood. Otherwise, the same (and most common) thought goes through my head, 'It's not my problem. I go to where I have to be in order to take care of me and my home and when laid off, go on to the next opportunity - even if it means less money that what I may like.' A good alternative is to make them do light labor like cleaning the car windows if your pumping gas or watering the lawn - just as long as they don't have access to your personal property, for the sake of safety.