Panhandling Here and There

I was over at Suburban Lesbian's blog where she was writing of her thoughts on NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). It wasn't until I responded with a comment of my own that I realized that this topic struck a nerve with me for some reason. It used to be that panhandlers found support in the cities, and didn't often show themselves out in the suburbs. I don't really know why that is... but it is - or, was the way of things.

Kind of an unnatural order.

Recently, panhandling has moved out into the 'burbs. It's still not quite as evident as it is in San Francisco, but I can't leave Safeway by the main road without seeing the same woman who stands there, with her sign, right in the median next to the driver's side of the car. She's not filthy, she's doesn't look under-nourished, but she must be down on her luck in some way to be out there day after day asking who ever happens by for help.

Sometimes I think, "There but for the grace of god go I," and other times I think, "Gee, she just colored her hair since the last time I saw her out here."

So, I'm not quite sure what to think. She doesn't quite fit in with my notion of what a panhandler is. That's all it is, too - a notion. For, I don't really know a thing about these people. What I do know is that more often than not, they are mentally impaired, and that scares me. At the same time, I feel guilty for not helping, but then I'm not sure that anything I would do would really help them - at least my spare change could hardly be of that much help.

It brings to mind that biblical proverb - give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish, he eats for a lifetime.

So what if the man (or woman) won't learn?

What if they can't learn?

Who is responsible?