A good day

[pch1.livejournal.com]

So I knew yesterday was going to be a good day when I was able to walk by both Starbucks and Diesel Cafe without being approached by any of the kids repping Save The GreenPeace Children from Masspirg.  Then I started to wonder, why is it that these guys can so relentlessly solicit donations everyday, yet if they were to put down their clipboards and strap on a guitar and play for donations they could be ticketed or asked to stop for performing without a permit.

What's up with the priorities around here.  I'd much rather be passing by a street performer than a political missionary.

Comments

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

I've actually changed where I walk because they irritate me so much.
I agree with koshmom. The Porter Dunkin Donuts in particular should object, because I walk by both there and the Brueggers every morning on my way to work. I usually stop at DD for coffee, but when there's a solicitor out front, I'll cross the street earlier and go to Brueggers instead. The Amnesty/Save the Children kids are costing DD my hard-earned $2 many, many days.

It especially annoys me when there are three or four of them from the same organization in a couple-block radius and I have to put on my polite face to turn them ALL down, over and over. Though I know it sounds totally insane (because it probably wears on them a lot more being constantly turned down, and probably by people a lot ruder than me), it really starts to wear on me when I have to walk by six or seven solicitors and/or panhandlers in one trip. My lovely parents have instilled such guilt and such a constant need to be polite to EVERYONE that no matter how nicely I say "sorry" or "no thanks" or "not today" or whatever, I STILL get kind of upset and feel really guilty about it.

Like I said, I'm crazy, and I know that. Doesn't make me feel any better about it. I really take it to heart that each person probably thinks I'm cold-hearted.

[nyusha81.livejournal.com]

again, agreeing with you :)

[808.livejournal.com]

I agree. I tend to put on my headphones when walking that side, even if I'm not listening to anything.

[coeceo.livejournal.com]

I do the fake phone call move.

[ifotismeni]

yeah i agree. their kind of strategy preys on people like who feel bad about saying now =/ they hope we'll get weak and give in

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

So perhaps the folks at Brueggers are paying them to hang in from of DD??

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

HA! Very possible, though evvvvvery once in a while, there's someone there too, and that makes me even CRAZIER. NOWHERE IS SAFE. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK, THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK TO ANYONE ON MY WALK TO WORK!? I HAVE TO DO THAT ENOUGH AT WORK!

Phew, had to get that out.

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

I'm happy you at least acknowledge you're crazy.

[soft-shoulder.livejournal.com]

No joke! I've been unemployed for the last month and so now when the pan handlers and solicitors beg for donations I can honestly say I'm unemployed and poor which helps alleviate some of my guilt burden. Rahr.

My favorite incident came about two months ago when I walked the twenty minutes from home to Mikes in Davis to custom order a slice of pizza, I had been craving something awful, to take home with me. No sooner did I walk out of Mikes then some hippie girl with a guitar sitting on the ground all lazy like, "CAN I HAVE A PIECE OF PIZZA!?!!" uhhhh, "No you may not I just custom order 1 slice, I have none to share". "OH FINE BE THAT WAY!"

=(