I was sitting on a bench with a friend next to a busy street filled, waiting to meet our other friend for lunch after classes. As we talked and did some people watching, a middle-aged woman approached us. She was wearing tattered clothing and had a worried look on her face. She said, “Excuse me, may I ask you a question?”
We said sure, not really clear in what direction this conversation was going to go. The woman explained that she spent all night traveling on a bus to Madison, but ultimately her plan is to get to Chicago. She told us that the bus leaves at 6:00 PM that night, the ticket costs $30.00, but she only has around $27.00 at the moment. “Is there any chance you could spare a couple dollars so that I will be able to get the bus ticket?” she asked. My friend and I were hesitant about the situation and explained that we didn’t have cash on us at the moment. She carefully nodded, told us it was okay, and continued to make her way down the rest of the street.
Once she walked away we just looked at each other and both felt uncomfortable about the situation. We talked about how every time that happens we always say no, yet we feel somewhat guilty because we can’t tell if the person was actually telling the truth or not. Yes, she could have truly been struggling to get to Chicago, and we were just two more individuals who made it harder for her to get there by not lending some cash. Or, she could have used that story as a way to guilt us in to giving her cash.
Ultimately, we don’t know, and we will never know. That’s the problem so many of us face on a daily basis when confronted with situations like this; we will never know the truth behind that person’s life experiences. I recently watched a film in one of my classes about different families in America struggling with poverty, but the majority of the stories were told through the children’s’ perspectives. Nothing was ever steady for any of these families:
-They could lose their job in any moment.
-They might be kicked out of their homes.
-They are never sure when their next meal will be or where it will come from.
-They never know if things are ever going to get better.
It was extremely heart breaking to see the truth behind these families’ stories and how negatively it affects the children’s lives as they grow up. While poverty is a constant issue, it’s things like this film or being approached by individuals that reminds me how horrible of an issue it is. It makes me appreciate my family, my education, my home, my opportunities, and the overall life I live. But what this week made me realize the most is that you truly never know what the story is behind those living in poverty.
Maybe there is someone you’ve met that is struggling with these issues, but they will never let it show or allow you to be aware of it when they are around you.
Maybe the person you decided to give money to on the street ends up buying drugs or alcohol with it, but that is because they don’t have health care, can’t afford anti-depressants, and using substances is the only way they can escape the life they are living.
Maybe the individual begging for money is pulling a complete scam just to see who will give them cash for them to use.
Maybe the person you decided not to give money to really could have used the extra cash to not only feed themselves, but to feed their children as well.
Knowing how to handle these situations is an extremely controversial topic because in the end, you never actually know what that person who is asking you for money is dealing with. I’m not saying that the next time someone approaches you begging you for money, that you are inclined to give him or her cash. If you take anything away from this, I want you to remember that you truly don’t know what that individual is struggling with, or how they ended up in the position they are in. Before you make assumptions about their life, or cause the interaction to make you angry, just remember that their story has thousands of different possibilities and that you will most likely never have the full perception of their situation.
