Walking back to my car with friends late last night, we passed a disheveled homeless man, also walking along the sidewalk. We were talking pretty loudly, so he must have heard us coming because as we got closer, he stopped, got off the path, and waited for us to pass before continuing on his way.
I’ve had plenty of panhandlers ask me for money, but that never made me feel as bad as having someone simply get out of my way. I think it’s because the act was so dehumanizing, and done without any hesitation. I felt almost like I was in some sort of caste system where the man accepted his inferiority so unquestioningly that he didn’t even want us to go through the trouble of walking around him.
Comments on this entry are closed.
Awwww thats so sad :(
I don’t think it’s a caste system and more of a self-esteem issue.. but that does lead right back to the social ‘caste’ system we have in place anyways.
maybe he thought you were the drunk ones! or was scared of what you would do. Ive walked around seattle quite a bit and seen what some of those people do. especially the partiers, friday night a guy and two girls literally pushed me back and jumped in front of me my friend and her niece getting into a taxi. he wanted it that bad! we were leaving the mariner’s game and they were going to the next bar.
how morose