Essay 1
2014
English 101
Timothy Little It's survival of the best fabricators for the ones who eat and sleep on today's streets of St.louis, and it's that made up sob story that makes you think twice of giving money to the man that needs some change for his vet bil or sick child. After our laughter died off into our thoughts, i wondered what brought all the night life to this 24 hour coffee shop. This being the second time here, there were far less people last week. I figured it was a younger crowd because it was the weekend before school. i spotted a few suits and ties that were untucked and semi wrinkled from getting the stress out on a friday night, when suddenly my friend was approached by a familiar dirty soiled cap on an unforgetable smile that would be easier to count how many teeth were there than were not. The stench of burning plastic filled my nose as well as my mind of wonder to what could possibly smell this ungodly. He then opened with "im not a bum" and right off the "mmm' of his speach i recalled him being that same begging man from last week, with a whole other story. A strong look of unapproval was on my face directed towards my far to generous girlfriend at the time. It was my first time to that particular coffee shop but it definitely wasnt my first encounter with a begger. After she had agreed to walk to the atm convieniently close to his location my gaurd was up just in case he wanted to make a larger withdrawl, but a homeless thats working that area at the time doesnt want to bite the hand thats feeding him for the next few days. I asked her why she had done that and she said hes stranded and is taking a train all the way to wisconsin and need enough money to get there, which that i found clever, but that was last weeks excuse that today proves to be completely fraudulent. After realizing this is the same man that said he would be in wisconsin last week i just sat back and observed what he had to say and how he said it. This night his approach was far less desperate and more aggitated, he held out a state id as if it were a map leading to treasure. The address he claimed was his and that he just needed a few dollers for the metro. Like that proves anything about him, for all we know, that's his friends i.d. There again transportation was his excuse. Although that may have been his only outfit he could have at least took off his top, or maybe buy one with my girlfriends money last week. He could have at least wore some different than the same stained originally grey but now off brown hoody, cut shorts, along with the matching stock cap. Maybe then would i not have recongnized him as easily. Going to the same spot with the same clothes, your bound
