Last night, several friends met up at a bar in the Mission and walked toward my place after. Right after we walk down the street, one friend remembered that she has yet to close the tab. Two guy friends went with her. The rest of us waited near Mission and 16th.
A black man approached us and introduced himself. He shaked hands with one friend and asked for some change. It was sad that when he tried to shake the another person in the group, that person was paralyzed by fear. I didn't realize that some of the group was not used to this environment.
For me, I usually just politely but firmly refuse the request, because the act may encourage more of it.
The first friend handled the situation by giving the stranger a quarter. That person did walk away.
Still, I was a bit surprised by the reaction of the rest of the group. Yes, there were some very sheltered people in our mix.
It was unfortunate, because I never let fear stop me. I practice caution, but in a crowded street corner in San Francisco, most of the people who approach others are quite harmless. One should just have a policy and stick to it. I try to be polite and wish pan-handlers luck because I don't want to give them money or encourage them.
Cannot help but think that part of the reason why some neighborhoods don't improve is because people are not used to walking out and about and enjoy the city. Yes, pan-handling is part of the city experience, but so are learning about the problems first hand and have an appreciation if we don't have to deal with those problems on a personal level.
Everytime I see poverty, I am reminded that I must focus on trying to make the world a better place. Part of the reason that work has lost some of its appeal is because I don't know if my company is focused on making the world better. I am once again re-directed to try to do some good.
