Beggars Can Be Choosers
By Urban Thought on May 3, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
After leaving the gym this morning I decided to walk to work. Headphones on, buzz from my work out, my eyes are on the prize that I call employment. My destination was clear and in sight. I decided to walk the twenty blocks to work. I thought it would make for a nice cool down and give me a perfect opportunity to capture the city on my camera.
As I pass by the Burger King I overhear a guy begging for change. He’s fixed in front of a poster of the King (The Burger King). Before I can get two steps past him he says to me, “Hey bruh, can you help me get some food? ”
Today I’m feeling generous. Helping someone get some food is the least I can do. It would be a good dead to start off my day.
“Sure, no problem. What would you like?” I asked.
“A Big Mac,” he responded.
“You want a Big Mac standing in front of BK? McDonald’s is across the street. I’m not walking over there.”
“Oh OK. I’ll settle for a Whopper.”
While I walk to the door of Burger King I realize its morning. Most locations don’t have burgers this early in the morning. I’d thought to ask the cashier anyway just in case they did have it. But just as I suspected… NO BURGERS.
I poke my head out and tell him the bad news. I asked him if he would prefer breakfast.
“Nah, I had my heart set on that Big Mac.”
Beggars Can Be Choosers
I leave you with this video I saw on the net. Don’t remember the site. Enjoy!
Observations
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We all like what we like, I guess…
::giggling::
ha ha ha…that guy sure had some nerve!
Son…How do these classic moments always happen to you?! I think its your affinity to homeless people that makes you run into these hall of famers. CLASSIC!
Beggars are choosers, that’s for sure! I had a similar thing happen to me when I was going to some unemployment workshop last year and a woman asked me for a dollar…for food and then upgraded to 5 dollars and when I said I’d get her FOOD she hemmed and hawed and it is difficult not to judge but then again, people want what they want.
Now that I think about it, I can see being picky. Says someone comes up to me and says, “I can give you your heart’s desire..” Genie in a bottle!! The thing is, would I (you) dream BIG or small? What do we think we deserve?
I used to give a toonie (two-dollar coin) to a local streetperson whenever I met her. Gradually, I noticed her health deteriorating. It took my streetwise son, visiting from a different city, to point out to me all the signs of this woman’s drug abuse. I felt bad that I’d helped contribute to her condition.
MarvalusOne: True. I cannot argue with that.
Meleah: Tell me about it. He was cool though.
S. Stylus: LOL… Not sure. You may be right. It’s a gravitational pull.
Ms. Q: I’d ask for the world peace. But then that wouldn’t be my real heart’s desire. LOL
Lavenderbay: You may have also helped contribute to her survival. Let’s say one day you didn’t give her a toonie, she might have gone hungry.
you kinda have to admire his gusto
I agree with meleah – he definitely has umph.
I remember giving this guy food on the train and he wouldn’t take it because it had onions in it. I understand preference, but when you are hungry, it really doesn’t matter.
I only give to Vets. Or people with one leg or some ish like that. Or a sista that obviously has had a bad damn turn in life and is out on the street trying to survive.
I have lived in a neighborhood of immigrants, and if people that can’t speak English can come here and hustle and MAKE it (selling oranges, flowers, cut up fruit, WHATEVER) then you can too. I’m a real hard ass when it comes to beggars. Don’t come shakin’ no cup around ME…lol
Homeboy did have some nerve being selective, though…
I work at the bank and sometimes when I feel like being nice. I will exchange some of the change for a homeless person to dollars. I’m always surprised at how much some of them make.
I have brought food before for someone from McDonalds he didn’t complain so I guess he likes McDonalds.
And I know this is crazy but I am scared of heights and if for some reason I have to walk across a bridge . . .when I get to the other side I give a dollar to the first homeless person I see. It’s my way of being thankful I survived.
Yes, I am crazy.
Obviously oh boy wasnt starving… how are you going to have your “heart” set on anything when you are broke… I swear!
Meleah: Sometimes you have to know exactly what you want out of life or from other people.
OP: Onions? I’d agree with dude. I may be homeless but who wants to deal with odor that onions produce? Then he’ll ask for mouth wash, a toothbrush and tooth paste.
Fitness Diva: I see your point. But what about the folk that perform a comedy routine, sing a song, or do a dance? Isn’t that entertainment worth a dollar along with the laugh?
Sharon: And to think they are getting all that money tax free… I cannot knock you for paying the toll after crossing the bridge. Crazy? For that? Nah… unique is a better word.
Eb: Don’t know… I’ll have to ask a broke person. But I hear you.
Yeah, making me laugh would get you a buck. Especially if your comedy routine is hitting home somehow.
I once saw a brother out there in the subway playing the flute and had to give him a buck just for the uniqueness of his choice of instrument. Black man playing a flute is not something you see that often. More like once every 5 years…..;)
The nerve! haha. I’m going to have this song in my dreams tonight, haha. Oh no!
“I guess beggars can be choosers”
lol
I guess so!
smh @ that video
ok so now ima have that shit stuck in my head
how the hell is he gonna….?
he obviously wasnt that hungry yet