Just any other day for you and me …

#globalite Jayanthi ponders over a conundrum that many of us are faced with when we encounter people asking for help at traffic lights and street corners.  What would you do? #homeless #sundayoneday 

It was regular Thursday. Delivery day of the local newspaper, Acorn. Something about the localness makes me devour the paper from end-to-end. I guess, it is the feeling of belonging, knowing the local dentistry is collecting post-Halloween candy, the nail place has a coupon, or the local barber has been in business for 25 years.

I read the editorials, try to place last names with children I know at the local school, wonder if one is a realtor whose boards I see all over the place.

Something about an editorial lingered …. Someone called Marsha commented on a article from the prior week about the homeless man outside the local Trader Joe. I did not recall the article she referred to, but the message was clear.

Marsha did not encourage placards and homeless standing outside parking lots and stop signs. It was dangerous to both drivers trying to get their weekly errand done and to the homeless. She also did not think asking for money with just a placard for context was fair.

She did believe in humanity. She was uncomfortable with herself and others not making eye contact. She did not think it was fair to treat him any lesser just because he is holding a sign showcasing his downfall. So she rolled down her window and said Hi. The light was red so she got to make small talk, discuss the weather and how red lights are badly timed. The light changed, she smiled and drove away.

She did not believe in handouts, but believed in humanity.

How about you? Would you spare a smile? Would you spare a few words?

If you can easily make idle conversation with the check out person, the person behind you in line, person ahead of you in the line, the person filling gas in the pump next to you … can you, would you with the person with a sign at the stoplight?

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