Running from a Homeless Man

There is a homeless man who always shows up near a Woolworths near my house. He looked like a middle-aged man. He stands around wearing old, warm sports clothes. Sometimes there is a white dog next to him.

A few days ago, I went to put a Quickflix DVD into the postbox and he asked me if I had small change I could spare. I quickly checked my pockets and told him I did not before walking away.

After about a minute of walking, I thought about what I did. Running away from a homeless man was almost an automatic reflex for me. I felt like I wanted to get away. I rationalised in my mind that I actually did not have any small change on me, and so my response was truthful.

There are stories of wealthy beggars who choose begging because it pays well, but this man was sitting around in the cold and nobody seemed to be helping him. I couldn't imagine he'd be earning much, and a millionaire would not bother earning a few cents an hour sitting in the cold.

Then there are stories of homeless men using donations for drugs and alcohol. This was a valid concern, but I could have easily purchased a loaf bread or a coffee from a nearby shop and give it to him.

I just didn't have time to think about this details. When I saw a homeless man, my natural instinct was to run.

Homeless man sleeping on a park bench in Melbourne, 2013