Big City Begging

One of the greatest things about living in a big city is convenience. I can walk a block and watch a Jays game in the sun. I can go into my parking garage and rent a car for the day. I can go across the street and get my nails manicured. Hey, I could even get my dogs nails manicured if I really wanted. However, the greatest everyday convenience of my life? Sobey’s. In my building. Like, an elevator ride away.

For those of you who don’t know what Sobey’s is; it’s like a less snobbish Urban Fare, or a way nicer Safeway. Basically, I have a grocery store with everything I need in it, right below me at all times. No eggs for breakfast? No problem! No lettuce for your salad? Who cares! Need to send your boyfriend out for tampons? Yes you can! Everything we could possibly need is only 1 elevator ride away.

Now, what comes along with this Mecca of greatness and all who gather there is probably the same everywhere. Homeless people. And you have to agree, that’s a well thought out location. Everyone who goes in there is going to buy something, they have money, and they’re getting change for whatever bill they just broke. There are really good odds of making some Hollywood dough out there, and the guys outside of my Sobey’s have it down to an art.

Numero Uno - They have puppies. Yup, puppies. The cutest, softest, most adorable little puppies you have ever seen.

B - (for those of you with cold decrepit hearts who didn’t want to empty your pockets when you saw the puppies) - The two homeless people look exhausted. It’s hot out, so I totally get that they need to lie there half asleep in the shade.

Third - They are trying to earn it; they have a creative sign placed on the ground saying they are disabled Clone War Vets that need money to buy a new Death Star.

I hear the employees at Sobey’s talking about them all the time. It looks bad for the store; they can’t have homeless people asking their customers for money. On this particular day I heard a conversation a little like this; “they have money for those dogs, for dog food, for their tattoos, for their clothes, they don’t need to be begging.” That made me wonder. How much money do they make in a day? If I gave them a dollar, how many other people gave them a dollar? And remember…they look exhausted!

Then it happened. The event that changed my perception of these so-called homeless people. It was as if it all happened in slow motion. The man with the cute little puppies who looked so exhausted and tired and hungry and dirty from having to beg for money (who I gave a dollar to) passed by me to go inside the grocery store. ‘I bet he’s going to buy some water’, I said to myself. ‘I bet he’s going to spend that hard earned money on some dog food’.

He looked around, he looked down, he found what he was looking for… he PLUGGED IN HIS BLACKBERRY!!!!!!

Moral of the story – always inquire as to how much a homeless person makes in a day. I bet its more than you!