A Propos of nothing
I just caught myself thinking - go figure.
I was thinking about when I was living in or, more regularly visiting Massachusetts.
When I was there, chance are, I would take the T into Harvard Square where there was, invitably, a panhandler en route to wherever it was I might have been going to.
It just struck me, recently, belatedly, how rough it must be for those guys in the days of the debit card.
I vividly remember getting to Harvard Square, with the remnants of my round-trip T token residuals, happy to give the remaining 15 cents to the bum en route to the "insert high school hippy crystal sales shop here" store.
I can only imagine how rough it is now for the pan-handler.
Truth be told, I almost never carry cash. At all.
A few weeks ago, the Street Wise, sanctioned panhandler, hit me up on my way into the CVS near my apartment. I responded, honestly, I don't have any cash on me.
She was fine with that but said, "Well, if you pick up a can of cat food, that'd be outstanding."
I was floored. This was, honestly, the first time someone had hit me up for money and was perfectly ok with not getting it, and, more specifically, ok with getting something that was relatively worthless come trade-time.
So, even though I'm unemployed, I bought a can of 9 Lives and gave it to her on my way out.
She was unbelievable grateful. Gave me two months worth of the Street Wise periodical even though the sum total of my purchase given to her was less than one dollar.
Definitely gave me food for thought.
Along similar lines: My meals, over the last month, have been obscenely boring (chicken with asparagus, or stir - fry) and ridiculously without change.
Only this time, I am more that willing to see how grateful I should be for this regularity, albeit boring, presentation of sustinance.
I was thinking about when I was living in or, more regularly visiting Massachusetts.
When I was there, chance are, I would take the T into Harvard Square where there was, invitably, a panhandler en route to wherever it was I might have been going to.
It just struck me, recently, belatedly, how rough it must be for those guys in the days of the debit card.
I vividly remember getting to Harvard Square, with the remnants of my round-trip T token residuals, happy to give the remaining 15 cents to the bum en route to the "insert high school hippy crystal sales shop here" store.
I can only imagine how rough it is now for the pan-handler.
Truth be told, I almost never carry cash. At all.
A few weeks ago, the Street Wise, sanctioned panhandler, hit me up on my way into the CVS near my apartment. I responded, honestly, I don't have any cash on me.
She was fine with that but said, "Well, if you pick up a can of cat food, that'd be outstanding."
I was floored. This was, honestly, the first time someone had hit me up for money and was perfectly ok with not getting it, and, more specifically, ok with getting something that was relatively worthless come trade-time.
So, even though I'm unemployed, I bought a can of 9 Lives and gave it to her on my way out.
She was unbelievable grateful. Gave me two months worth of the Street Wise periodical even though the sum total of my purchase given to her was less than one dollar.
Definitely gave me food for thought.
Along similar lines: My meals, over the last month, have been obscenely boring (chicken with asparagus, or stir - fry) and ridiculously without change.
Only this time, I am more that willing to see how grateful I should be for this regularity, albeit boring, presentation of sustinance.
posted by Jess at 10:56 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Jess! I'm sorry I was only able to get here twice during this week. I hope you are feeling well. We're getting a heavy 33 degree rain right now, and no chance of the white stuff.
Take care..tonight, Daisuke makes his debut, and NESN is televising it between 6-7pm (EST), just for his two innings. Radio too!!!!!!!! The dinner hour will be fun!
Miss you, stay well, let's get some springtime weather going! Your blog friend forever, Peter N. And if you wanted to listen to it, just call me and I'll leave the phone right next to the radio. Long distance excitement. If it was a more important, "count in the standings" type of game, I'd be serious! Just go to boston.com in the morning to read all about it. Or read me! That sounds funny.
Oh well, take care. I hope I brought you a smile. Peter
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