"CHILD OF DIVORCE / PLEASE HELP"

The intersection of Ashland and Clybourn, Chicago

Morning

 

Today was my first day holding up a cardboard sign. I was equipped with my carboard sign, a bottle of tap water, sunglasses, and a gray denim baseball cap that reads "REX RADIATOR".

I got 2 money offers (totaling about $1, I'm guessing) and an offer of a job. The money offers went like this: The first one came from a distinguished and successful looking white male in his 50's in a black 4-door Oldsmobile. He was wearing a shirt and tie. I had almost passed his car and he called me over "Hey, buddy", and held a few coins to me. I told him I didn't think money would help, but thank you very much. As I spoke, I held the sign toward him so he could read it, assuming he hadn't. He kind of raised his eyebrows in a shrug-like expression, and I walked on.

The second offer came from a 40's-something Asian (Philipino? Thai?) man in a red Isuzu Rodeo. He was wearing sunglasses and had an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He was dressed casually. He held out coins. I declined his offer the same way I had to the other man, and he responded almost exactly the same as the first man had. After I refused his offer, I saw a blond-haired woman in a minivan laugh.

At one point, I was called over by a beefy, red-bearded man in the passenger seat of a white Carmichael moving truck. There were three men in the front seat. "Hey man," he called to me. I went to his window. "Are you looking for a job?" I told him no, I already had a job. He rolled his eyes and made a "pssss!" sound to his buddies in the truck.

At about 8:00 a cop car rolled over the bridge. When I saw it I immediately folded my sign and scurried to the sidewalk. As the officer passed, he rubbernecked to get a look at me.

 

 

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