Special K and Aids.

Alright time for a sad story.

I don't much like sad stories, and I don't usually care for other people much, especially strangers, but I saw something the other day that was so terribly ironic, I was sure it was set up by a film crew.

I had an interview at a local Vancouver coffee shop, and I was walking back to the bus stop to catch my bus home. I was standing at a red light, waiting to cross the street, and there was a homeless man standing next to me. This in itself is usually kind of sad, but I don't normally care. I mean come on, there's hundreds of homeless people everywhere, what am I supposed to do about it? But this man was especially sad. He was holding a sign that said "Homeless with AIDS, anything helps." And he was talking, not really begging or pleading just talking. A small sorrowful background noise. He said "Hello friends, I hope you and your family had a wonderful weekend, and I'm wishing you a happy day so you can start your week off right. Unfortunately I've been out here for a few hours so far today, and no one has stopped or looked at me. I'm really hungry and anything would help."

At this point the light turned green, so I crossed the street. I glanced back at the man, and it was true, not one person looked at him. They made the point of looking away from him, or simply stared right through him. This was pretty terrible to see, but I couldn't really blame them, how can you open your wallet to every homeless man you see? So I turned back and finished crossing the road, and when I reached the other side a man was standing there with a small satchel. Here's the real kicker, he was handing out free Special K bars. Rich businessmen were passing him, not saying a thing, but they grabbed, one, two, three free granola bars and continued on their way, right past the homeless man, who was clearly starving.

Now this, I couldn't believe. They saw the homeless man, knew he was there, could easily see he was hungry, and they were just given FREE FOOD. Why? Why did no one even offer their bar to him? We did not the Special K guy just walk up and give him one? What is wrong with our city, our country, our society that people will stand on one street corner and give out free food, while across the street a man with aids starves?

I couldn't believe it. I stood there, watching this, astonished, and wished that just one person would hand him the free granola bar. But no, no one did. And it hit me, what I already knew to be true, that people are selfish greedy bastards, who don't give a shit about anyone else, and won't share what they've got, even if it was literally just handed to them.

And by the time I realized that I should have just walked up and gave him an granola bar, the free bars were all gone. And I actually felt terrible, for once, I felt like shit because I saw what was happening, and hadn't even thought to help myself. But next time, I swear, I will.