[Magdalen] Professional panhandlers; was Loaned out.

[M J [Mike] Logsdon]

>>>I spread my "wealth" around. I've never given to the same indigent twice.  But if someone I haven't seen before looks like he/she needs cash, I'll give them some.
I tried taking these folks to some sort of meal, but they were more interested in cash.
In the end, after an examination of my conscience, I give what I ca and don't feel at all guilty about what I can't do.<<<

It really must come down to case-by-case, sometimes.  I definitely give to this guy at the store regularly, but he's not there all the time, and if he shows up while I'm inside and I don't already have some cash in my glove compartment AND I don't remember to replenish while inside, he knows to just expect a wave from me as I drive out, and I still get a loud "God bless you, brother!"  As for food, I've told here before the story of the guy who walked up to my car while I was eating a tuna sandwich while Anna was in a store, asked for money, was told I have none, but... he walked away seemingly quite pleased at the homemade, in my opinion high quality, second tuna sandwich I had in my bag.

I do give to anyone who truly seems in need.  There was a girl playing her guitar outside Nob Hill one day, and outside of the money I put in her case, I wished I had the guts to say, "Give me a few minutes, I'll be back with my washboard!"  She would have had to switch genre, but, hey, maybe more money!

I really regret the time I was walking out of Subway with my and Everett's dinner cradled lovingly in my arms (his hot, mine cold), and encountered a fellow I'd actually bought food for a couple times (once, donuts and milk, the other time a full Burger King spread) asking for a warm blanket.  I now know I should have simply gone home and sacrificed one of my aged ones salvaged by Mom from old electric blankets, but for some reason I merely commented on how moderate the temp was at that time.  He quickly snapped that it was going to be different come midnight.  At that point I knew merely to disappear, because I'd flubbed horribly.

These days, in our drought and uncharacteristic high temps, I haven't seen many apparently homeless around, except for my Nob Hill dude who, as I said, is sporadic.  (I think he has "a home", but with a friend or family member who charges him.  He also claims to be a war vet who only recently finally got an appt.  That may or not be true, but it rings true to the news of the last few years, that's for sure.)  On those rare occasions I see the wizened old lady who tends to hang out around the front door of the CVS, when she asks, I'll say "If you're here in a few minutes when I come out, I'll have something for you", because she has a tendency to disappear like the wind sometimes.  And lo and behold, seconds after I give her some money, she starts walking, I turn my head back to my business for a split second, then turn back, and she's nowhere to be seen.  I've often wondered if she's an Angel Unawares, and I'm part of a project!