So today was Veteran's Day. As usual, on my drive back from Philadelphia, I saw the homeless veteran who waits at the stop sign right before the 95 South ramp. Since day one of my making the trip home from WHYY, I have noticed the luggage and bedding stored underneath 95 - that underpass is someone's home.
I remember how miserable I used to be in Bagar - night temperatures hit freezing levels and we did not have heating. But I was inside - I didn't have to deal with wind, or the constant rumble of traffic over my roof. Does anyone who lives underneath a busy highway ever get proper rest? Does the constant rumble eventually feel like a lullabye-esque whirrr?
I REALLY wanted to give the homeless veteran some money today, as it was Veterans' Day. I didn't. My rationalization was that the city doesn't want me to - the PSA on the bus shelter on Arch Street tells me so. But I felt helpless and EXTREMELY useless as I got onto that ramp.
Happy Veterans' Day
1 comment:
I'm a pedestrian whenever I'm in the city, so I get hit up for money a couple of times every day.
I can probably count on one hand the number of people I've given to: if I see someone a lot and start chatting with them, I may sneak in a dollar here or there when they're not expecting it.
When I was passing out posters for Obama, one guy said he took the train in to vote but didn't have money to get back home. He showed me his voter registration card and offered to give me change back on my dollar (he needed 60c). Maybe he was lying, but if so it was creative.
I think there's a difference between homelessness in India and America, though. In America, homelessness is often a transitional state -- someone screwed up, ended up out on the street and are now trying to build their life back up. In India all some people know for themselves and their family is extreme poverty.
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