Brother, can you spare a dollar?

A couple of weeks ago, on my way to work from the Metro station, I was greeted by a friendly man walking in my direction. He told me that his grandmother had recently perished in a fire; the incident was on all of the news broadcasts; and he was in dire straits. Would I be able to spare him some money? Seeing that I was considering the situation, he added that his wife had just committed suicide.

At this point, finding his troubles a little far-fetched, I began to doubt him. It's possible that he was telling the truth, but I believe most readers will think, as I did, that most likely this man was digging desperately for my sympathies, and using lies as a shovel. Rather than become offended that he would take me for a dope, though, I decided to give him something, mostly for one reason, as best described by one of my friends.

During a long walk, one of my friends said that when people on the street ask him for money, he generally gives them a dollar or so, because he knows that the person on the street will appreciate that dollar, no matter how he spends it, more than my friend himself will. It was under this logic that I decided to give my inquirer what I felt comfortable giving.

I decided to give a dollar. It seemed like a reasonable amount, something that I wouldn't regret later despite all of the graduate school tuition and undergraduate student loans that I have to look forward to. It's not enough for a meal, but it's a start. When the man received my dollar, however, his shoulders fell, his eyes rolled, and his face took on a look of extreme disappointment. At that moment, it seemed like I would have appreciated that dollar more than he did.

Will the incident prevent me from giving a dollar to other people who ask for money on the street? Probably not. Should I be angry at the man on the street for not being thankful? Should I be mad at myself for not being more generous? Should I be mad at the financial and social system that leads people to beg on the street? I don't know. But maybe one day I'll gain a better understanding and acceptance of the way things are. For now, one thing is clear; and it was best put into words by the great Ray Davies: it's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world. Except for Lola, of course.