One of the many forms of pan-handling is from the beggers who are homeless. Some of the homeless beggers are scammers or just drug addicts looking for a quick fix. Reality has shed light on these things over the years so now most people who are aware of the fact that some of the homeless are secret scammers and drug addicts don't tip them or even offer food or a drink to them. It bothers me because how do they know who is really homeless and who is not? The truth is that they don't know; in turn no one offers to help homeless people anymore. They say go to a soup kitchen if you're hungry, but maybe the soup kitchen is closed, or maybe that homeless person has problems with other homeless people at the soup kitchen so to avoid further stress they avoid these places and ask for food on the train.
The same people, who are afraid to offer food, drink or even a nickel to a homeless person are supportive to a talent and will even by fruit snacks and water from people selling illegal products on the train. Products that are sometimes labeled with a note that says "Not for individual sale". The worst part is these individuals don't even know where the money goes. It could be for drugs, even teenagers sell these snacks for a "team", but how do you know that's what it's really for? You don't so in turn you're possibly supporting someone’s habit..
What's worse is these same people who refuse to help the homeless will give up to five dollars to the acrobats who get on the train and risk their own and other people’s safety by wildly flipping and swinging from pole to pole. I have seen people get happy when they see the magic acts, hear beautiful singing and poetry on the train and just start chucking money out to these talents who one could be scammers, and who also could be supporting a habit of their own with YOUR MONEY. The same money you'd rather not give to a homeless person because they smell, have dirty clothes or look likes an addict.
I think this is horrific because too many individuals would much rather help someone who doesn't need to be helped at all. Here are some useful ways to know the true hungry and homeless from the scammers and addicts.
1) Homeless people usually have an odor or appear filthy especially if they are not living in a shelter or anywhere else to shower.
2) Most homeless people will accept food on the spot and even eat it right in front of you. After they finish they usually get off the train and I've seen many of them exit the train station
3) Real homeless people don't have time to make up a funny, cute or witty signs. They are too stressed hungry and oh yeah where are they getting the supplies for the sign? Maybe they brought it.
4) Homeless people are usually timid and don't really know what to say other than "I'm hungry, can you please help me". Their eye contact is even different; they have an ashamed look in their eyes and typically avoid eye contact
5) Plenty of NYC homeless are the mentally ill and Vets. These are the usual homeless ones you'll encounter on the train. The vets say they are vets or ex-military while the mentally ill try to figure out who they'll get what they need from the world around them and often times they don't pan handle well.
The next time you ride the train; don't be so fast to assume every person in the train who appears homeless is a scammer. People swipe them on and to be honest you'd be shocked to learn how many people actually live in the train stations.
Think about what you're doing. Most of you, who are tipping talents and buying illegal products, are giving money to someone who has a home, a possible job, and are so full of life and energy that they are performing on the train.... Not only are there venues that they can perform at to raise funds, I'm pretty sure they ate a meal before going to perform on the train. My question now is; if you're refusing to feed the hungry then why would you tip a talent?
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