Is this hotel pager friendly?

So last week, I came to the realization that for some reason, when it comes to the homeless, people needing random strangers, people selling random nonsense, I have a giant "I am kind and tolerating of your approach" bullseye on my face. But the thing is, I am not that individual. I have a certain inherent sadness and pity for the homeless, but seeing as I am currently not flush with monies and I value my quarters for the 25c vending and soda machines at work. Thus I cannot contribute to their malt liquor and cheeseburger fund.

Anyways, last Monday, I had no less than 6-8 specific direct approaches towards me, exempting all others around me. When I left my office to take a lunchtime walk, I passed a homeless man who I politely apologized to when he asked me for change. This prompted him to say "Come on man, I can tell you have money on you!" What? Seriously? How did he spot me out in a downtown crowd to accuse of holding back change?! And mind you, I have no dress code at work, so I was rocking a t-shirt, looking positively average. I left my Armani suit and Prada shoes home that day. Well anyways, mildly peturbed, I continue deeper into down coming to a fairly busy corner at Randolph and LaSalle. There a youngish blond girl was excitedly waving to someone. I kind of glanced behind me assuming she saw a friend. Then I realized she was motioning to me. Quickly ascertaining I had no clue who this chica was and noticing she had a clipboard, I shifted to thoughts of "You're kidding me, why me again?"

Girl: "Hey there."
Me: *placating half-smile*
Girl: "How old are you?!"
Me: "Not old enough, sorry."
Girl: "Just come over here!"
Me: "Thats not gonna happen."

I am rarely that brisk, normally giving a smile and a no thank you. But by this point, I'm getting peeved. I understand those people have a job to do (as do the homeless I guess), I was in sales once, I don't derive pleasure from blowing these people off. Yet I keep getting into these situations, and clearly I am going to deny them, so my patience is tested.

Later that night, I go to the Taste of Chicago with some friends. No sooner do I tell them about my unfortunate occurances, which naturally they found humorous (cause if it wasn't me it would be), then I am approached by a gentleman who asks me if I have any extra tickets. Now at the Taste, you buy 12 tickets for $8 and those tickets are your currency to purchase food. 4 tickets gets you some gazpacho and 6 gets you some goat meat with special rice from a Caribbean stand, etc... Well, I politely tell him no as I have not even gotten food yet while also ponder that its a pretty good gig for a homeless dude, or even someone who just feels like mooching some free food. Stand by the exit and pick off some leftover tix. Well over the next hour, I am approached directly, but not my friends, by 3-4 different people within the festival asking for my tix. This included a woman who got about 6 in from my face asking me "Are you using those tickets?" when I had about 8 in my hand. Of course I am, its not like I have 1 or 2. I didn't buy these just to make it rain on you and your friends like dollar bills at Scores. Yes, this woman was in a group of people, so its not like she was just hungry. She was there with a group of people and looking to scrounge up some free morsels...cheap skank. The most disturbing of these was a middle-aged gentleman kind of wandering around a center area awkwardly asking passers-by for tickets. He was wearing khakis and a horrendous button-down, but gave no impression of being impoverished. He was carrying a briefcase and just really acting in an odd fashion. I have no clue what was going on there, but of course he approached me and I chalked it up to the lunacy of my day.

So thinking the schenanigans were over, we left the Taste for the Red Line to travel home. Well as the 3 of us approach the train station, two, umm, urban youths sitting next to the entrance immediately hop up and make a beeline for us. Well, the one did. And by us, I mean...of course, me. Extending his hand, he offers "Hey man, hold up, let me talk to you for a minute." FML...No good can come of this situation, no matter how innocuous, so I just tell him sorry and that I have to catch my train. I am immediately peppered with insults.

"You didn't have to be rude man."
"Cheap ass motherfucker."
"Wearing that blue shirt you fucking faggot."

Just awesome, what a picture perfect ending to a picture perfect day. So all of you out there who are either looking for change, bus fare, donations...please leave me along for like 6 months and then I will have regained my patience and my monetary backing. Then I will be glad to entertain your spiel. Until then, please tell me what I can do facially to convey my lack of desire to hook you up. Thanks.

So other randomness:

-This song is currently my jam and I don't care what sort of social reprecussions it has. I think its baller and I am unashamed of my enjoyment of it.

-"I'm 'a go where I always go; Drinks are on the house,
Whiskey's on the rocks while your sister's on my mouth"
That is my favorite lyric of the moment, it has no deep meaning. Its just stuck in my hand and its pretty happily staying there.

-Frasier is a hilarious show that I don't think my demographic properly appreciates.

-A full year out of college, I have just finally started to master the puke and rally.

-I love Orbit's Sangria Fresca gum. Its delicious.


So on a monthly basis, I choose one of my favorite bands to just listen to repeatedly. I put their cd's in my work playlists in addition to whatever I'm feeling. This month its the Academy Is... Yet another band I started listening to in HS that suddenly appeared everywhere and then by the time I graduated college, on every teen playlist. But I still love this band. They do pop-punk as well as anyone. Their newest cd, Fast Times at Barrington High, pretty solid. Nothing like their debut, but a solid cd nonetheless. Listen to One More Weekend and thank me later. Attention, Same Blood, Almost Here, and Neighbors are also all worth spinning and getting an idea how baller they are.

"You'll go off, you'll forget, you'll grow out of hanging from the edges, breaking off the past..."

JW