Walking up and down that median today I was really about to quit.
It was so hot. I was sweating. I never sweat. I hate sweat on others. Sweat makes me ill.
But there I was with a fake smile plastered on my face weaving in and out of traffic asking for donations.
I prayed for rain.
The Gods heard me.
It rained and rained and rained. We sat next to the IHOP talking for 3 hours.
I only made $25 today.
On the van back to the shelter all of the vendors were joking about all the ways people try to ignore us when we are asking for donations:
They quickly pick up their phone and act like they are texting
They look over their shoulder into their back seat and act like they are talking to their child. (We can see that there is no child there. WTF?)
They pretend to be engrossed in applying make up.
They stare straight ahead like mannequins and don’t even move their eyeballs.
They open their packed meals and pretend to be eating so they can’t speak.
We see the strangest things as we walk from car to car waving and smiling:
Women plucking the hairs from their chins.
Women digging in their noses.
Men yelling at their wives.
Men with their penis’ sticking straight up out of their pants.
Sometimes I feel like I am in a fog and just rotating through traffic and waving.
HI! Would you like to donate to support the Homeless Shelter today?
“…joking about all the ways people try to ignore us when we are asking for donations.”
I’m guilty of one or two on that list. But I at least try to wave, or smile, or acknowledge the person even if I don’t give.