Why Do Perfectly Good White Men Come to the Hood and BEG!
I will never stop marveling at the many differences in the way white people do certain things, compared to the way most Black people do those same things.
Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, the circumstances usually dictate that, but regardless, there’s always a noticeable difference.
Take for instance, something that happened to me not long ago, while leaving the grocery store.
A white guy stopped me as I was leaving the store. He stood just outside the entrance, and he stopped me to ask if I had THREE DOLLARS I could give him.
Yep, you heard me right. He stood there panhandling, but had the audacity to set a base amount.
I consider myself a generous person, and I’m constantly helping people in a monetary way, whenever my heart and spirit compel me to do it, although I’ll help a woman (of any nationality) much quicker than I’ll help a man.
But even men can fall into a situation where they might need some help, so yes, I’ve given my share of cash to panhandling men also.
So what was the deal on this particular day?
Did I feel especially irritated, because the guy was white?
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.
He was basically dressed neat and clean, didn’t look like he was distressed, and he certainly wasn’t your standard looking panhandler. He didn’t even have a sad sob story to offer, as to why he wanted or needed the money.
I guess I was just supposed to give it to him, simply because he asked for it. Damn — talk about privilege.
I have no doubt, that whatever his negative circumstances might have been — if any, he has a whole lot more privilege and opportunity to change his situation than me or anyone else from my community, at least from an African American perspective.
But besides the color issue, I have a real problem with able-bodied men who panhandle, when they clearly don’t appear to be in any type of crisis situation, immediate or otherwise.
THAT’S WHY THIS GUY REALLY BUGGED ME.
If he hadn’t been so damn nonchalant about his request, I might have engaged him in conversation, to see why he needed the money.
After all, he had such a specific amount in mind, if he had a good story, I’m pretty sure I would have given the money to him.
But if you can believe it, this dude actually barely bothered to glance at me when he made his outrageous request.
👉 He was too busy looking at his cell phone, and I think he was texting.
The nerve!
I realize now, that the reason he chose to ask for $3, and not the customary “a dollar” that I’m used to hearing requested, is because of his white man education in finance.
No doubt, he went to some school of privilege, where he actually learned and understood that it takes just as much effort — if you could call it that — to ask for $3, as it does $1.
He probably concluded that:
- Either I’d turn him down flat.
- I’d decline to give him 3, but decide I could give him 1.
- I’d for whatever reason, actually give him the whole 3 dollars.
From a “financially savvy white man mentally”, 2 out of 3 of those odds weren’t bad, so why not go for it?
Final Thoughts
After this unusual encounter, it got me to thinking, and musing over the subject of how much the same, and yet, different, that we humans tend to be.
White men don’t panhandle like black men do, and more than likely it’s because they don’t need it as much.
If they did, they’d know they can only rake so much from the poor black neighborhoods, and take their asses back across town to beg.
One thing about it — this was definitely one time that I didn’t walk away from a panhandler, feeling really low about the issue of poverty in my community.
I won’t lie. That dude really annoyed the fu*k out of me.
But at least he gave me a good laugh for the rest of the day…
Thanks for reading…
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