6.21.2005
the church tape from Charles
On my way out of the grocery store for my afternoon chocolate run, the single toothed homeless guy who I refer to as Charles stopped and asked me for a light. Charles is a nice guy. He always says hi, chats every once in a while, but never asks me for shit. I give him smokes if I've got them on me, but I'm a stingy MF, so I just carry one outside in case he asks for one. "sorry bro, left them in the office"
I didn't have a light so I apoligized that I couldn't help him out. He then went on to try to sell me a cassette tape from some church in Virginia for $ .50 I used my standard don't-wanna-give-a-homeless-person-money line,
me: "I'm sorry, I paid by credit card b/c I don't have any cash"
Charles: "No problem, just take it."
me: "Sorry dude, I don't even have a cassette player anymore, MP3's baby."
charles: "Well take it and pass it on to someone who may need it more than you."
me: "I'm straight homie. I don't even know anyone who still rocks cassettes"
charles: "I insist, you never know when you may run into someone who may need a little help. I help you help someone, and someday, you may help me."
I'm debating whether to take this as a sign from above that I need J-dub in my life or be upset. I don't really have anything to be upset about other than feeling like I got set up to be hustled some time in the future.... It's like this unwritten rule that you shouldn't take things from homeless people, because they might remind you later that they gave you something, then you HAVE to hit him off with something.
I don't mind giving to homeless people, I just need to do it of my own free will, not because I've been tricked or guilted into doing so. So how is it that I walk away from all this with a free cassette tape (I don't even have a tape deck hooked up anywhere!!), yet I feel like I got hustled?
Then on my way back to the office two women stopped me and asked if I knew of a nearby candy store where they could buy cigarettes..........
~C
Cassette tape of the moment: Saint Luke Church - "We Are The Church"
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3 comments:
I often find myself in the same conundrum when I encounter homeless people on the subway. Oftentimes, they look like they need my help. But because I DID get hustled back at Howard from the man who used to stand in front of China Dragon (we called him "Change Please" because that's all he used to say), I am hesitant. I know that the Bible says be a cheerful giver and not to worry about the motivations of others, but I ain't trying to be hustled out of my paycheck all the time. So my advice is keep the cassett and when he asks you for some money, give him the church tape instead.
LOL! I agree. I remember the change guy. Didn't won't pennies...how you gonna be picky when you beggin'?
Getting too friendly with the neighborhood homeless guy can be tricky....remember the one who asked me out and tried to give me $30 to buy tickets for he and I to go see Dionne Warwick???
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