Saturday, May 15, 2010

d00d, don't take out your poor vocational choices on me

So, I found myself on a lovely pier in lovely Santa Barbara today and panhandlers line the pier, with signs and random ploys to try to get tourist dollars. Amongst the panhandlers was a guy building a really cool sand soldier - seeing as I always carry my camera with me, I thought I'd snap a quick shot.

Dude sees me turn on my little PowerShot and points to a bucket that I hadn't even noticed hanging on the pier.

"Hey, support the arts," he snaps at me. "I do this for free. It's hard work."

He seemed to angry at me. So affronted that I wasn't recommending him for some endowment for the arts. So pissed that I wasn't tossing dollars at him like he was the prettiest girl working the pole.

Now... I've got nothing against "supporting the arts"*, and I have nothing against contributing to "starving artists", but - I'm thinking that panhandling is kind of a customer service oriented "job" and "being a total dick" doesn't seem like the best way to get donations.



*I gave him a handful of change and a couple pieces of candy I had in the pocket of my purse - clearly he needs the sugar