Thoughts

I work in a pretty urban area right now. Today I saw something that disturbed me and made me sad. A man who looked like my Dad about my dad's age, walked over to a guy who looked maybe 24 and gave him some money. That guy turned around and was yelling and fighting with the group of people he was with. I can tell exactly what happened. The guy went into Potbelly's and asked at every table if anyone had $ for lunch saying he was hungry. He does it all the time. He's one of a few and it's very unsettling to me personally if I see it. I hate for people to interrupt my personal space, put me on edge, and I hate worrying that someone is in need. And yet, I cannot hand over $. I just can't. This guy gives his every single day to begging. Every day I go into work, he stands on the corner and begs for cash and gives you flack if you don't give it to him. Why can't he work? Is he homeless? I wish I was brave enough to ask but he's very in-your-face and I don't feel brave enough to ask. And I feel guilty as a Catholic not giving to someone in need as well.

So anyway, back to my looks-like-my-dad guy, walking with his wife across the street. After he handed over his cash, that guy was causing a ruckus and looking like a fight was going to happen. It's spring break and there are kids everywhere. The gentleman who gave his money started getting mad at the guy's reaction. I mean, he went in begging for $ for food and he barely acknowledges the guy for giving him money and then starts causing issues right then. He got mad, started shaking his head and turned around in the intersection to go give Mr. Beggar Guy a piece of his mind. His wife grabbed him and said "don't you dare. You could get stabbed."

I couldn't get it out of my head. My dad's generation, born in the 50's- they learned to work hard. They had nothing handed to them but milk and cookies. All material things were minimal, with hard work for laundry, hard work for school (maybe even nuns!), hard work for college because it wasn't something everyone got to do or afford. My dad worked multiple jobs to afford college. They had a hard work ethic and I'm sure that guy handing his money over felt like that was a sacrifice on his part to hand over $20 or so.

And there was no thank you from this guy who felt entitled or bored or annoyed or drunk or drugged up or whatever. He had no reaction but to go back to disturbing the peace.

It hurts my heart that some do not give but take take take take take. And feel entitled for more. And others give and hope the recipient will do good things with it but apparently is a user. User of people. User of substances. Who knows. But today.... it made me sad.