Dearest blog readers (all 8 of you..i just wanted the opener to feel grand, and no not the biscuit by pilsbury),
I am a good person, let me stress this for the record. I do good things for others. I’m a good listener, I do good errands, Good hugging. I love hugs. I am good. I am rare. People like myself are a commodity so hold onto us mmmkay? So what I’m about to say.. might go against my good nature, but I am so sure you all know how I feel. When I’m in downtown DC, in the heart of the city.. I really truly am tired.. sick.. and tired.. of..
People.
Begging.
Me.
For.
Money.
NOW. Before I get damned to hell for this hear me out here. I do give to charities. I help my fellow man and woman. I tip well. I give to people on the corner.. the squatters. But there comes a point especially as of late where… I just want to scream STOP ASKING MEEEEEE. I feel like responding GOD WHY WON’T YOU ALL GIVE MEEEEEEE MONEY. Now it’s a slippery slope. And I’m not trying to sound like a complete jerk. But where do you draw the line exactly? If you give a couple of times, people will think they can think you are obligated to give. If you don’t do it at all, you’re absolutely positively seen as a complete jerk. It’s just frustrating. I am torn on a daily basis between ignoring and just giving in. But nooo more!! I am from here on out done. You know when the breaking point occurs? When you give money, and you don’t hear a “thank you.” How hard is it to say thank you? You bug me every freaking day for money and I do give and then bam.. NOTHING. There comes a time where I will put my foot down and walk. And yes rugrats, I’m talking to you..yes.. the ones with the crates full of overpriced candy that’s not even good. I don’t want to contribute to your bogus charity. You’re not fooling anyone. And if you do, then say thank you. It’s just incredibly frustrating as a human being who tries to do good things for people.
Ok, I will take my ticket to hell now. One way ticket. I get it.
One little tick that I can’t stand occurs when random strangers rope me into a story, presumably because I’m good *see previous paragraph rant* and.. they grab my arm when they want to tell me something. And chances are, it’s not THAT exciting.. they just want to make sure I don’t run away… And it’s always the person you DON’T want to speak to who grabs your arm. And I don’t mean a gentle touch. I mean a yank. There is nothing THAT important that you need to yank one’s arm off in a sense of immediacy. Just calm down, compose yourself and then recite whatever you want to say. Hands off or you will draw back a nub. I mean, do I walk around with a sign above my head that says, “you Adrienne, it’s this one?” Apparently I did have a sign a few days ago when a bird pooped on my head.. Yes. On my head. I almost cried. Not from the pooping, which under any other circumstance would infuriate me, but from the fact that again, I’m having difficulty catching a break. And I’m glad I realized what happened.. or else you know that scene from There’s Sumfin’ About Mary? The one with the “hair mousse” that wasn’t really mousse? Yeah almost had one of THOSE situations. Yeah, bad huh? That wouldn’t have garnered a sign. The poop is the sign. And no I don’t believe it happened because of the money asking.. because I do give. Or I DID give..
But I digress. And for those keeping track, I got the stuff out, but it still..traumatized me. I was truly not “winning” that day.
To continue on with the stranger yanking.. when they don’t yank your arm, they slap you on the shoulder. Seriously? You grab my arm for emphasis and then you slap me on the shoulder? Do you know you are dangerously close to being hospitalized? Do you? This is what I’m saying in my head. There is a line you do not cross. If you MUST feel the need to bring me into whatever conversation your voices are directing you to discuss, then fine. But to grab my arm and or slap my shoulder as your way of trying to get me to agree with you? You picked the WRONG woman. Submitted for your approval (yes the quality isn’t the best, but i’m really driving the point home here):
Keep watching..
Yes. If you try your damndest to grab me in any way, shape, or form to prove a point I will kick you strangers. You have been forewarned. And if you think I won’t hit Punky Brewster back because she’s..well.. Punky Brewster, you have another thing comin’.. You yank my arm or hit my shoulder – and I don’t know you, well, I’m an equal opportunity puncher.
Don’t. This will be your only warning. If you doubt me, just watch that clip again.
Ok. tell me I’m a bad person. I’m ready for it.
Dexter take me away!
Em :).
03/24/2010 at 11:00 am
OMG!!! People … STRANGERS …actually GRAB YOU?!?! Are they INSANE?!?!?! DRUNK?!?! Man! I wouldn’t even do that to ya! GEEZ! Why on EARTH would they??? What do they say to you after they do? What was so important to get your attention???
As for the begging…I’M SO WITH YOU!!!! Since I have to walk by “bum row” twice a day on my way to and from work it really bothers me. I feel so guilty walking by with my overpriced lunch that I just bought at Union Station. I just tell myself though, I pay my taxes and my taxes go to Section-H housing, soup kitchens, and welfare for people who are too drugged up or stupid to use birth control or get a job (aka lazy cuz it’s easier to sit there & prey on tourists) and then spend said money on more drugs, alcohol and trips to the Caribbean! (Did you know how much welfare money is spent there?!?! It’s crazy! http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=211841) There are construction jobs that need laborers who are US citizens but yet they don’t want THOSE jobs! (Me, sweat & do hard labor? No thanks. I’ll sit here & continue to suck off tourists and college kids who feel sorry for me.) If you’re truly disabled or sick and cannot work, please forgive me, you I don’t mind helping but they seem to be in a very slim minority. And yes, the job market sucks. Welfare recips should def be drug tested. My hard earned money shouldn’t be going to support your habit. So as long as I pay my taxes I figure I’ve already given them money.
Let me say though that there is one man on the wall that I’m fascinated with. It’s something about the look in his eyes. I get the feeling that he’s a dear, sweet man with quite a story to tell. I just want to take him home. Yeah, hubby would LOVE that lol!
snifflegabs
03/24/2010 at 11:29 am
It’s a tough situation. There is an organization called Street Sense and they stand at corners everyday yelling for people to give a dollar for their newspapers and the money goes to the homeless. BUT when you see Farragut Square, there are homeless scattered about with all their belongings and I feel like yelling, and WHERE is this money going? Surely you can help these individuals in the park here. And I feel extremely guilty when I walk with my Starbucks coffee or green tea lemonade and not give. But I do give to homeless people. Not all, but I do. It just annoys me that the same figures set up shop at corners. I give to new ones LOL. To people I know who just rotate. But the same folks no. I did when I was first working in the area but no more. I am not made of money. And I do think about my tax dollars and where they’re going. I feel like telling the squatters the line from the Notorious B.I.G. song, “Don’t be mad, UPS is hirin’.” I do look into some eyes and if they look at me face to face then yes, congrats, they will get something. However even the squatters don’t annoy me as much as the kids with the crates and the candy.. or the kids with tickets for raffles for their basketball camps. Or the kids who sell church raffle tickets promising a grand ol’ trip to Jamaica.
Yeah, that ain’t happenin’!