the homeless
there's an exponential amount of homeless people in toronto as compared to edmonton. just on the fact that there's more people in toronto would mean there's more homeless people, but also because i live in downtown toronto, i would run into more homeless people than when i was in edmonton.
which brings me to the point of this entry. what do i do when i pass a homeless person? do i give money to each person i pass? i'd have to keep a pocket of change at all times. and what do i do when i pass the same person every day? do i give them change every day? would they expect me to give them money every day, and the one day i don't, they'll hate me? there's always someone sitting by the church by my place, and someone sleeping in the bus shelter i walk by every day, and usually someone sleeping on a subway grate across the street from my office (actually, there's two, one across each street from my office).
do i offer them food? my roommate offered a granola bar to a homeless person one time, and he turned it down. does he only accept monetary donations?
my old roommate left this jacket in our hall closet, which i assume was her boyfriend's because it was an XL men's winter jacket. so we decided to give it to a homeless person at the beginning of the winter. now, everytime my roommate passes the guy she gave the jacket to, he smiles at her and points to the jacket. and i guess homeless people talk to each other because the guy who turned down the granola bar told my roommate he wanted a jacket too.
and then today when i was walking home, this guy came right up to me and asked me for money. i thought he was coming up to me to ask for directions, but he was just asking for money. i didn't have any money in my pockets, so i didn't really want to take out my wallet, and then pick out loose change to give him.
so i guess the moral of the story is that i will start keeping change in my pockets to give to the homeless, and probably those granola bars i have in my cupboards.
which brings me to the point of this entry. what do i do when i pass a homeless person? do i give money to each person i pass? i'd have to keep a pocket of change at all times. and what do i do when i pass the same person every day? do i give them change every day? would they expect me to give them money every day, and the one day i don't, they'll hate me? there's always someone sitting by the church by my place, and someone sleeping in the bus shelter i walk by every day, and usually someone sleeping on a subway grate across the street from my office (actually, there's two, one across each street from my office).
do i offer them food? my roommate offered a granola bar to a homeless person one time, and he turned it down. does he only accept monetary donations?
my old roommate left this jacket in our hall closet, which i assume was her boyfriend's because it was an XL men's winter jacket. so we decided to give it to a homeless person at the beginning of the winter. now, everytime my roommate passes the guy she gave the jacket to, he smiles at her and points to the jacket. and i guess homeless people talk to each other because the guy who turned down the granola bar told my roommate he wanted a jacket too.
and then today when i was walking home, this guy came right up to me and asked me for money. i thought he was coming up to me to ask for directions, but he was just asking for money. i didn't have any money in my pockets, so i didn't really want to take out my wallet, and then pick out loose change to give him.
so i guess the moral of the story is that i will start keeping change in my pockets to give to the homeless, and probably those granola bars i have in my cupboards.
posted by diana at
8:07 PM
6 Comments:
Bigger city, more transients. The climate in Edm makes it really hard for people to live on the streets when the shelters overflow. You know the guy that plays the flute at the LRT station at the coliseum? Every hockey game we go to, I always have a loonie or toonie ready for him...I like that guy! My eyes literally light up when we get into the station and I can hear him playing....matt goes, "your friend is here." hahaha...
So if you start putting change in your pocket and start giving it to the same people everyday, is that like paying a toll to walk in the street?? Are they going to come to expect it from you? And will they tell their friends that you are so generous and then will they ALL approach you? Aren't you scared walking on the streets at all hours by yourself? I have this utopia in my mind of how it could be:
You tell the "regulars" that instead of giving them money everyday, you and your roommates will bring them a home-cooked meal once a week & if there are anymore ex-boyfriend clothes lying around, you'll give them those too! Then they will just wave at you each time you walk by knowing that you have a "date" with them every sunday at 5.
But who are we kidding, you don't even cook for yourself!!!
By
Rosanna =), at 9:30 PM
wow, your comment was almost as long as my entry.
and i have recently discovered shake and bake potatoes. for all you non-cookers in the family, it's great and so easy. i laugh in the face of your "you don't even cook for yourself" comment and have proven you wrong. ha.
By
diana, at 10:59 PM
you could always give them money to buy a bottle or some crack.
By
Swedish Sensation, at 12:12 AM
In response to Steve. No I don't think ALL homeless people are crackhead drunks. I think there is a large portion that are although I do realize there are people of unfortunate circumstances that have put them in that situation. If I offended you, I'm sorry. It was an ignorant comment that I thought was funny at the time.
By
Swedish Sensation, at 8:44 PM
it's ok, we know you were joking. we don't usually assume non-family members will read our blogs, therefore, not get our humour.
By
diana, at 9:01 PM
i figured i would take the political appology. yeah...what are the odds that an ex-bum would read your blog and my bum comment. i knew you guys would understand me.
By
Swedish Sensation, at 9:32 PM
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