Starving Jill "xtingu" Knapp 12/21 '16

In Minneapolis for 36 hours.  Just got off the light rail and was walking 3 blocks to my hotel and a homeless guy stopped me.

"Pleeeeeeeeease can I have money for something to eat? I haven't eaten since yesterday, I'm sooooooo hungry, they kicked me out of the shelter, I'm so hungry... hungry hungry starving starving..."

And I said, "Dude, I have no cash. All I have is plastic... I'm here on work. If I had something, I would give it to you."

He wouldn't let it go. He figured if he pleaded with me more, money would magically appear in my wallet for me to give him.  "Pleeeeeeeease! Anything! I'm so hungry hungry! SOOOO hungry! Aaaaaggggh!!"

Then I remembered, "Oh wait! I have a fresh sandwich in my bag. It's turkey and swiss. Here." And he changed 180 degrees and said in a totally different voice, "nah, forget it."  

Hahahaha. Idiot.



PS: No need to tell me the millions of things I should see and do while I'm here. I literally just got here (it's almost 9pm) and I teach a full day tomorrow and then I go straight back to the airport. 

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12/21 '16 11 Comments
Your response to his final statement is much better than mine, but then, I'm pretty certain you're a better human.

Me? I would have wanted to kick his nuts into his tonsils.
Matt Lichtenwalner
This one stuck with me... I think we are judging a homeless person by the standards of people who have things like adequate sleep and mental health care. The Stranger out in Seattle followed some of the local homeless guys on Capitol Hill to see if their patter was "honest." It wasn't, but their actual stories were as bad or worse.
Thomas Boutell
When I was a little kid, I was with my parents and we were stopped by a homeless man begging for food. My dad didn't have cash either, but he did have some leftovers from the restaurant where we had just eaten, so he gave them to the guy. A few minutes later as we were pulling out of our parking space, we could clearly see the man throwing the unopened left overs into a nearby dumpster. Since then, I simply ignore people begging. And it feels horrible to keep right on walking without an acknowledgment, because I feel like by ignoring their pleas, I am denying their humanity. But I know myself well enough to know that I won't have the strength to say "I'm sorry, I have no money to give you" and I already know they don't want the granola bar that's in my purse. So, right or wrong, I just keep on walking.
Leela
I once heard an explanation that made a lot of sense to me: "Would YOU want someone else's half eaten food?" That made me rethink the whole leftovers thing.

Don't get me wrong - if I was truly starving, I would eat whatever the hell someone wanted to give me, but it adjusted my view.

Additionally, when I was recently in Mobile Alabama, I was confronted by a homeless dude. When he asked, I explained that I don't carry cash, but I was already headed to that pizza place right there, and I would be happy to get him some dinner.

In the few hundred feet to reach the restaurant, he came up with some half muttered excuse to part ways.
Matt Lichtenwalner
If I was me, in possession of a good night's sleep and good mental health, and starving, I'd be rational and polite and eat what was offered too. But that's not how homelessness works.
Thomas Boutell
Completely valid point.
Matt Lichtenwalner
Oh, you should come visit scenic Media. We have snarky comments and hot cocoa.
Shelle Klein Houser
You do? Oh good. I'm starving. [Rimshot]
Thomas Boutell
I had that happen in Starbucks. Only had my phone with me with my Starbucks app. Lady asked me for money, I told her I had none but offered to buy her a cup of coffee.

"No, I want money," she said to me, speaking as if I were mentally handicapped.

This comment needs a punch line but all I have is "wow, I am tired".
Shelle Klein Houser
I've had that happen several times. Once the person pointed out that they couldn't eat the apple I offered them because they didn't have strong enough teeth. Fair point, but I still didn't have any money.
Lindsay Harris Friel
Stay warm!
Lindsay Harris Friel