What do you think?

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I was in the parking lot of the hardware store today, replacing the windshield wipers on my car, when a bum came up to me and asked for some money. He stated that he was from a neighboring city, and he has lost his wallet and needed a bus ticket to get home. I knew he was lying about the wallet thing, because it’s the oldest trick in the book (I’ve heard this from bums all the time), but I still reached into the console of my car where I keep all my change, and gave him everything that I had (about $6 or $7). He even offered to change my wipers for me. After I handed him the change, he stated that he didn’t want to be ungrateful or anything, but he needed more for a bus ticket. I told him that that was all I had, so he thanked me and left. I watched him as he left, and I didn’t notice him asking anyone else for money. There were plenty more “rich-looking� people than me in the parking lot, but he has passed them all up to ask me for money.

I have always felt bad for the bums, so I give them money if I have it. This reminds me of another time, I was driving to another city and picked up a hitch-hiker with torn up clothes, and a big beard, as I normally do. These people are generally interesting to talk to, and they always have a good story or two. Definitely good company, if you are driving any long distance. Anyhow, I drove him to where he wanted to go, even though it was a considerable detour to where I was going. When I dropped him off, he told me that he hadn’t eaten in a couple days, and asked if I could spare some money so he could get a meal. I reached into my wallet, in which I had two bills, a ten and a twenty. I handed him the ten. He said the twenty would be better, but I told him I needed it to get gas, because my tank was nearing empty. I felt bad though, and handed him the $20 and took the $10 back. I later ran out of gas on the way home, as I knew I would.

These types of episodes have been becoming more and more frequent. It seems that every time I leave my house, I have bums coming up to me asking for money. I just don’t understand it. They pass up rich people, and come to me. Can these people sense that I will give them money? Do they just know that I feel bad for them? How can the system screw them over so bad that they need to live like this? I just don’t understand. Some day, I would like to go out and follow them around to see if they do target certain types of people, and figure out why they target the people they do and document it. Is any of this normal?