Rejecting money after asking for it
A few years ago, I was walking down a busy street when a homeless woman approached me and asked for some money. I took out a dollar from my pocket and gave it to her. While I walked on, I heard her behind me “What am I going to do with ONE dollar??!!!” I turned around only to have her her throw the now rolled dollar bill back at me.
She walked away, while I stood there for a while in amazement. Someone probably in his late 30’s was walking by and stopped to pick up the dollar. He handed it to me and said “That’s ok, don’t worry, she’s a bitch for who knows what reason and you did the right thing. Don’t worry about it.“
Two days ago, I went to the post office and there was an elderly man standing outside. He was wearing a faded blue jeans with a blue and brown jacket, and had a few backpacks sitting on the floor, right outside the main doors. It looked as if he hadn’t taken a shower for a few days because of the dirt stuck in his uncombed, long hair. As I was coming out out of the post office after a few minutes, he asked me “Excuse me, do you have any change you can spare?” I didn’t have any money on me, so I said “Oh sorry, I don’t” and walked on.
I got into my car and noticed about a dollar in coins and a few cents near the gear box. I picked up the coins and got out of the car and said, as I walked towards the guy, “This is all the change I have right now.” He looked at me and replied in a very serious, yet courteous tone “Oh that’s ok, don’t worry about it, you can use it for gas or something as I was looking for something more for putting gas in my car. My card doesn’t work and I need something more than a few coins. That’s ok.” I was puzzled a bit, and said “Are you sure?” as I stepped back a little bit. He nodded his head as a confirmation to his earlier decision to not take my money.
I got into my car and drove off, wondering how his rejection of something, which he had originally asked, seemed so similar and also so different compared to the situation when the homeless woman had thrown that dollar back at me a long time ago.
Here’s a picture, taken on March 19th, 2006, of the post office near my place. The lady in this picture kept fixing her skirt, though she wasn’t too worried about what other people thought about it; many people kept staring at her. That’s also the place where the elderly man had asked me for money two days ago.
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( March 23rd, 2006 at 4:36 pm )
Woah, that’s crazy about the women and the elderly man… Sometimes when people ask me for money, I would give them a dollar at the most, but then my sister told me that they could be lying about getting gas to go home and all that, so it depends if I have enough money for myself first before I give others money. I know that’s kind of selfish, but still…
( March 23rd, 2006 at 11:51 pm )
Hah, I never give people money when they come up and ask for it. They can just get a freaking job or sell the Homeless Newspaper or something. I hate beggars. Also street musicians. Also anyone who makes me feel guilty about not giving them any money… What can I say? I’m a capitalist bitch
You, however, are a socialist angel and you can be proud of yourself for being considerate enough to want to donate your change. Beggars are just weird, is all.
Also that picture is hilarious. God help me if I ever get that excentric when I grow old
( March 24th, 2006 at 1:16 am )
I have never faced a situation like this.
( March 25th, 2006 at 5:16 am )
Well, at least the man was polite. I hate rude people. What that woman did was plain rude.
( March 27th, 2006 at 10:54 am )
Chau — > Yeah, really interesting. Some of them need food, and some of use it for drinking, drugs or other things. Still, it’s hard to figure out who needs food and who doesn’t.
It’s not selfish at all since it’s not an obligation.
Lisa — > heeheeee. Street Musicians ; didn’t think about them, hmmmmm. heh @ anyone making you feel guilty about it.
heh @ socialist angel. I wonder how they would act if I go back to those people later on and say something like "Hmmm, I’m in need of money these days. Can I have some change back? You know, then change that I gave you last month?"
Yeah, that picture was interesting and I had to have it. Don’t worry, you definitely won’t.
Sawai — > Good for you; you’re lucky!
Kxia — > Yeah, the man was very courteous, while the woman was the exact opposite. And their message to me was almost, or maybe exactly, the same.
( March 31st, 2006 at 2:11 pm )
interesting indeed….. hmmmm…
( March 31st, 2006 at 3:23 pm )
Yeah =\ heh : )