Originally Posted by
Detroitnerd
I must say it's pretty much a personal, spur-of-the-moment choice for me. Sometimes I give, sometimes I don't. Once, I saw a guy freezing on the corner and gave him my old pair of gloves, not a second of hesitation. At other times I can be pretty cold myself.
I guess what I like least is when homeless people try to jolly me along. You know, like, "Do I look like I just fell off the turnip wagon?" The too-ebullient tone of a man crying, "Hey, my brother!" Nope, nobody I know calls me that. Or people who try to put the bite on you indirectly. "Can I ax you a question?" The question is invariably, "Can I have a dollar?"
Finally, Fourth Street Billy told me how to deal with that one. When you are asked if they can ax you a question, just say, "I will answer any question for one dollar." It does work.
But sometimes you feel like a cad. You just do the best you can. Once, I was walking into the Renaissance Center to take some photos for a job. I was just wearing work clothes, because I usually decide to dress down downtown. I'm walking toward the building and a voice is saying, "Sir! Excuse me! Sir! Hey, sir!" I kept walking. "Sir! Sir! Oh, sir!" I walked into the building. Finally, this guy runs up to me and says, "Sir!" Huh? Following me inside? I turn and a building staffer says to me, "Are you the Otis guy? The elevator repairman?" Oh, shit. No, but now I feel like a dick. :[[
Anyway, just do what feels right. Most of the time, that's the best you can do.