I'm seeing more panhandlers with infants and it bothers me and angers me. It angers me that parents are out of work and must resort to panhandling. It bothers me that they don't have resources available -- and that resources aren't there -- to keep them from taking infants in strollers to street corners, and it bothers me that they don't have the sense not to take infants in strollers to street corners.
It's very depressing. And in the end I don't know what to think, or what to do.
This afternoon I was in Agoura Hills which is a relatively wealthy suburb of Los Angeles and when I went to the post office there was a man in his mid 30's with an infant in stroller standing at the front doors of the post office with a handmade sign asking for handouts.
"I just lost my job, please help me."
Actually, I wanted to ask him what kind of work he did because we've been looking for sales people -- but I was so angered that his infant was with him in the stroller and crying that I couldn't allow myself to stop to talk to him. There were just too many emotions swirling through my head: why does he have the infant there, where is the mother, why is the baby crying, what is he doing panhandling, what about unemployment, did he take his infant to work too because there was no child care and that's why he lost his job? So many questions.
Now, about two hours later, I'm sorry I didn't talk to him. I am also sorry that he had his infant child in a stroller standing outside the post office.
So many panhandlers these days. Some you know are really good people who are in need of a job and can't find one. Some you suspect are drug abusers who really don't want a job and have no intention of working.
I know for sure that the infant is innocent. I know that the baby was really crying. The baby is not at fault.