Day 4,178—Only 20 and a Story—

 

I had been sick all week, so I slept in today and woke up after 7 a.m. I wasn’t in a hurry to start and didn’t have a set route in mind. I liked going by the QT off Manchester, so I went that way and found my way to the Loop. I got some drinks and sat down on a curb next to a man who was in a wheelchair. I hadn’t meant to start a conversation, but I didn’t mind talking to him. He asked for a CVS gift card. He was starting in on his story, and I asked him if he didn’t mind giving me a minute. I had just finished almost nine miles and wanted to finish my beverages.

        He immediately respected that I asked and didn’t say anything else about money. Someone came by and asked if either of us had a cigarette, and he offered to pay. The guy in the wheelchair got out a cigarette and held out his hand for the money. The guy gestures that he didn’t have any money after all and asks for a light.

        “I didn’t like how you did that.” The guy who had asked for the cigarette reached into his pocket to show a bus ticket. He said he thought it was money, but the guy in the wheelchair was not impressed. We talked for a little bit about the weather, and a woman approached me.

        “Can you give me a gift card for CVS for $5?” She was almost shouting, but the guy in the wheelchair immediately cut her off and told her to leave me alone.

        “He is trying to rest.” Now he was talking loudly. She stopped asking me for money, but she sat next to me. I asked them where they were from. She said she was in Oakland, California, and the guy was from St. Louis. He told me where he went to school. I told them that I work for SLPS. The woman told me she had sugar diabetes, so she cannot eat any of the food that they would give you at a food bank. I wasn’t going to push the issue, but she told me that she just needed groceries. I knew of a couple of places that I would see people handing out food in the city, but she wasn’t interested.

        I gave the guy 5 dollars. Not a lot. I felt bad that I didn’t have anything for the woman, but I didn’t like how she immediately approached me with her sales pitch. I have heard so many versions of the same stories. I am not saying they’re all being dishonest, but they always tell me some specific reason why they require the money. I don’t believe any of them, but at the same time, I believe they believe their stories about why they require the money. For me, it is simpler: someone is living on the street and requires some help. I cannot help all the time, but I try to when I can. It feels good to have the privilege of being a positive interaction in someone’s life. People overcomplicate the issue of giving money to people on the street.

        I think it is insane to believe that not giving them money is “the right thing,” because you shouldn’t reward that behavior. “How are they going to learn?” I have heard wealthy people say. I wonder how they think anyone would want to live on the street and beg for money. I don’t like asking people for anything. I avoid it at all costs. Asking someone else for money would be such a difficult thing to do every day. Also, when people think it is their job to teach everyone else lessons. The only lessons you should be allowed to push on other people are manners. I am reluctant to reward rudeness in any scenario, but I feel like it is okay to reward people for their ability to treat everyone else with respect and kindness. Whenever I see people living on the street, my impulse is to at least greet them or make small talk, but I hate to get anyone’s hopes up if I know I am not going to give them money.

After this, I ran in Forest Park, and it was nice. Not as many people, so I did more there than I have in a long time, going by the dinosaurs and over the old bridge that takes you to the path by Kingshighway. At first, I was tempted to do more and try to make it to 26, but it was getting late, and I think it is okay if I take a break.