Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Saw a man on the offramp with a sign today

But unlike the other people who sit by freeway offramps and onramps, he made me compulsively reach for my wallet.

The first reason I reached for my wallet was because he was playing the guitar. He was making an effort. He was exchanging his labor for currency.

The second reason was because he looked like someone I would see in a business meeting. He had a haircut with a well-kept goatee, he was wearing khaki slacks and a dress shirt with business-casual shoes.


He could have been any one of us on that offramp, heading in to the office on hump day, wishing for the freedom of the weekend.

Instead he had the freedom we craved, and wished he could go to work.



It hit a little close to home.

His sign read "lost job need money single parent" and his guitar case was open and had a few bills in it.


I didn't have any cash on me or in the car.

I know because I checked.

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