"Do You Have Some Change Or A Dollar?"

We've noticed a certain new phenomenon in the streets and subways of New York City.  Beggars ply their trade, as they always have.  They are homeless and hungry.  They just need some change or a dollar to get something to eat.  Some have stories of having lost their jobs or they've got some really bad illness, like cancer.  There is nothing new in any of this, except that now, no one is giving them any money.  No one goes into their pocket or purse and comes out with anything, no change, no dollars, not even lint.

We wondered what could be the cause of this?  Have New Yorkers become completely jaded?  Inured to the needy and those in dire straits?  We followed some beggars around through the streets and subways and no matter who the beggars passed with hand out and whatever the sad tale on their lips, no one gave them a thing.  We also noticed that the Mariachi bands that used to serenade subway goers went from a four man band to a three man band to two and just last week, one guy, one Mariachi with a guitar.  No one gave him anything, either.  We all wondered what was the cause of all this parsimony?

Then while following one guy who'd lost his job and had cancer, we got too close.  He turned on us with his hand out.  Cornered with nowhere to go, we were going to give him some change or a dollar when we realized...  We didn't have any change or a dollar.  We don't carry money.  I use cards for everything.  One to get on the subway and one or two to pay for things.  My colleague uses her phone in the same manner and it hit us like a brick.  It wasn't just us.  It's everyone!  No one has change in their pockets!  No one has that dollar to give.  No one, has any cash!

What will become of the beggars?  Will they all fade into obscurity like the VHS machine and the pay phone?  Yes, yes, some of you are wondering what was a VHS machine?  What was a pay phone?  But you see, what we mean?

Maybe they could get those hand held devices that read your card or phone.  Waiters in certain restaurants have them?  But those things if durable and good, are expensive.  And the presence of such devices in the hand of a beggar might negate the "I'm homeless and hungry" rationale for begging.  Maybe the City could start a program for them?  Then the public would know the homeless, hungry guy was still homeless and hungry, even if he had eleven hundred dollar device in his hand.

Someone has to do something or we're afraid that the beggar, as we know him, will simply fade into obscurity.  Leaving behind maybe only a statue in Times Square, sculpted by some caring artist.  The statue won't have a pedestal, just a bronze figure of a bedraggled, poorly clothed man, with his hand out, his mouth open and whatever coming from his lips, left to the imagination.

Dicens simile factum est

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