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10:43 a.m. - 2004-04-21
signs signs, everywhere are signs
OK, so you know how there are homeless-ish people who hold signs on the side of the road that say stuff like "Struggling single dad fallen on hard times - anything helps. God bless." There are many variations, including the addition of a Jesus-fish...I suppose this is meant to invoke a feeling of obligation...

Anyway, I was noticing how they hold the signs for a while, and when it's time to leave the on ramp or whereever they have set up, they stuff the sign somewhere nearby and later in the day someone else is holding the same sign. There is a particularly colorful one that shows up at the off ramp of I-5 at 45th St. It's painted and on a piece of wood instead of the usual broken down cardboard box. But most of them are mispelled in someway, the marker dripping from the rain, poorly worded, etc....I am just waiting for a dot com or small shop to open up somewhere "Highway Signs etc." They coudl sell generic "WIll work for Food" signs and for an additional charge could offer personalized ones..."My name is Bob and I am from San Diego. Need money for a bus ticket home." They could even charge by percentage of how much the pan handler pulls in for the day. Of course, this would be hard to regulate, so maybe they could hire some pimp-esque people to regulate. They could also have a series of workshop on "desperate facial expressions." This is a gold mine waiting to happen folks. Any takers?

I suppose the real issue here is that I, even I, a semi-social worker, have become so anethstetised to these people, I focus more on the potential humor that might emerge in my web log from the sitution than I am about the actual person. How can we feel continually compassionate about something that is so prevalent, and frankly largely deceitful. I once ran into a resident at a shelter I used to work at. She stopped me, we chatted, and as she (and by "she" I mean large transvestite) left she said "well, I'm gonna go pan handle for a while; I really want a beer." I dont want to feel cynical and discompassionate toward these people...I want to see them as indivudals. But realistically....how can that happen?

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