75¢

The city of Madison, like most major cities, has a significant homeless population. I'm glad that some charitable organizations and our campus paper, The Daily Cardinal are currently calling attention this fact. The primary goal seems to be the establishment a new shelter, since the current one is unable to help all those that need it. I support this effort, and were I a resident I would gladly vote for it should it come up as a referendum.

That said, I was a little thrown this evening by my encounter with one homeless man on State Street. On our way to the Towers for dinner, Mike and I were asked for change by a man of about 30, but I was laughing at something or another that Mike had just said and wasn't able to respond. Feeling a bit guilty about it, I decided I'd bring him a piece of fresh fruit from dinner. When Marget and I were together, she would often give homeless people fruit since its a nutritious food needing no preparation, and that habit hers was one of those I greatly admired and appreciated. So I grabbed an apple and a napkin as I headed out the door, and kept my eyes peeled for the guy. I spotted him about 10 meters in front of me, but just as I got close to him, another man approached him and asked for 75 cents. The beggar to whom I was intending to give the apple pulled out several dollars worth of quarters and gave the other man three coins. I had passed him by another 10 meters before they parted ways, and I would have felt weird doubling back. I don't really know what to make of the whole thing, but I'll take the apple along with me tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people who could use it.