"Alright one thing you have to remember Cheyenne is that some people may come up to you and ask you for money. JUST IGNORE THEM and they will go away, a lot of people try to trick you and use you, don't let that happen." There were tons of homeless people every day that day. No way it's crowded like that all the time right?Back in Montana homeless people were a rare thing, well at least seeing them was rare lol. Every time my friends and I would see a homeless person, we would scrape up around at least $5 to hand to them, usually on the way out from the local Wal-Mart in Butte or Bozeman. I'm a huge believer that location and environment may change you a little bit, because ever since I moved to Texas, I've been more stingy with my money, a little more stuck-up and judgemental. Making assumptions instead of actually getting to know the person. I was much more nicer and out-going in Montana no doubt. I don't know what happened.
"Hey guys please, please, I just need $5 for a bus ticket, please can any of you help me out? "Nope sorry." my friends said walking away. "Come on Cheyenne let's go." they said grabbing my arm pulling me away. "Nah wait guys." I said. "Did you listen to anything I just freakin told you?" said my friend, a little irritated. "Hey man here's a $5 bill." I said to the hobo, handing it to him. "Ohhhh God Bless you son, thank you so much." he said as he walked away. My friends and I watched him for a good 2 minutes, and right before he headed inside the liquor store, we saw him take his wallet out and pull out some money, he was too far away for us to see how much.
"AHHHHH DUUUDDDEEEE what did I tell you!?? You had to be the good guy huh!? Your ass just got punked dawwwg!!" my friend said to me, jumping up and down like crazy. I don't care if it was just $5. I was angry, I got used, but we happily continued on with our day. Well at least I tried too.
"I don't feel sympathy for the homeless, I'm sorry but I just don't. The only person who can help your struggling ass is yourself and if all you can do to help yourself out is beg people for money, then you're not just a homeless person, you're a helpless person. It's about not being lazy and trying in life. You think these people living out here in the streets and begging people for money every day actually want to make a difference in their life? Begging for money is the easiest thing they've probably ever done in their life. They're trying to use us man, don't let that happen again." said my friend. "I won't, I won't." I said, feeling kinda guilty for saying that.
Every other week or month, we'd be in the city. I was used to hobos coming up to me or my friends. It happened to everyone. It didn't bother me, but it made me feel guilty because ever since I got fooled by the last guy, I started acting like a jerk. I started acting like a person who didn't care. A jerk. I wouldn't even stop to think about it. Just automatic no. No sympathy.
"Aye maaaaan I need $5 dollas to dat bus stop, ya'll help me out??" said a man who seemed in his late 50s to us. "Nope sorry, I don't have any money." I lied. "C'moooo maaaannn, I just askin fo $5 dollas. Please maaaaaan help me out here." he said, following us as we tried to ignore him. "No go away please, we're not going to help you." I said. Daaaannnng did I just say that? Cheyenne Fuller said that? "God Bless ya'll, thanks anyway maaaaaan." he said walking away.
"Can we please stop hanging around this area?" said my other friend. She was a pretty skeptical and judgemental person, kind though. "You're going to meet people struggling everywhere you go." I said. "Yeah, but this area is not good, these people are not trying to make a difference in their life whatsoever. Beg beg beg is all they do, if they have the confidence and initiative to beg people for money constantly, than they should have the confidence and initiative to ask for a damn job!"
Long story short, my friends refuse to give the homeless money, which is totally fine and it's kind of starting to rub off on me, but I'm trying to think outside of the box though. That doesn't make us bad people, no one has an OBLIGATION to help each other out and give them money. We just reject them in a kind, dishonest way lol. "Oh oh shit, I'm so sorry, I left my wallet out in my car." "Ah I'm sorry man I ain't got no change, not today." EVERY homeless person knows you're lying when you say that, they may be homeless but they're not stupid, so I don't say it anymore. I look at them, and study them, try to put myself in their shoes. The whole "not feeling sympathy for the homeless is not what America should be right?. What have we come to? Why aren't we helping each other when we can? What if you were in that position? My friends and I are jerks maybe? I think back to all the times I lied, and rejected the homeless, and I feel so guilty. Wouldn't you? Maybe not?
The funny thing is that sometimes we reject the homeless, but help others with money? "Awww bro I'm short $2 for this subway sandwich, help me out?" A stranger actually, no joke, turned around and asked me that one time, and I helped him out gladly, no big deal. I helped him out without thinking, but I had to think about it to help a homeless person on the street? Duuudddeeee.
I've come to my own conclusion and opinion for this. I feel sympathy for the homeless, and I always will, whether they choose to be that way or not. Trying to ignore the fact that someone is struggling is something I tried to do, and I fail at it. It'll bother me either way, whether I help or not. No one deserves to live like that. There are many reasons people become homeless. Many homeless are the very people who fight for our country who cannot reconnect with the world. Money is always a big problem for people. Traumatic events, and disabilities may lead some people to lose their homes. Some homeless like being homeless like some of the guys in Dallas and they always have fun and hang out and they're cool people. Some homeless want help and some do not. It really depends but helping is always a kind thing.
Every time I'm asked for some money or help, I'll take a little of my time to get to know them a little bit, maybe ask why they're in the position they are. I'll give them some money, but not always. I feel sympathy for them, but I can't really help them because I'm not in fantastic financial shape myself. Most people are on the streets simply because of an unfortunate event.
I decided that sometimes money is what we want, but sometimes love and a friend is something we need. We're not obligated to help hobos and give them money, that is a fact. But dang, can you have such a guilty conscious on you like that? Or maybe you don't have one because you're so used to ignoring and blocking them? Who knows? What do you think?
Thanks for reading!
Cheyenne Fuller
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