Over two years ago, I was walking through center city past the now-closed Strawbridge & Clothier department store. There were bums here and there as always in Philly. I happened to notice one "bum" in particular. It was a young girl, glasses, ponytail, sitting down on the cold ground with her legs propped up, reading a book. A cardboard sign next to her read in big black letters, "I am 18 and HOMELESS. Please help" or something like that. Now I could be wrong, but she didn't look dirty or cracked-out like most bums you see. Perhaps she was a victim of abuse, or got kicked out of her house as soon as she turned 18, etc. She didn't look like a "faker" or someone that was doing real well either.
I remember thinking: "Her state is pathetic. Why don't she consider dancing so that she can make enough money to get off the cold streets?" It must be hard to get a job when you're young and lack ample job experience, ESPECIALLY if you don't have a residence. But strip clubs tend to hire people on-the-spot, as long as you are cute, friendly, not terribly shy or scared of the club, and have a valid ID.
But of course I was way too shy to go approach her and suggest the idea of dancing...
Now a few days ago, I was walking through center city again and who do I see near Strawbridge & Clothier again?...presumably the same girl! Well if it wasn't the same girl, this girl looked and carried herself similarly. Girl with a blue winter coat, ponytail, glasses, this time staring down at the ground solemnly without a book to read. Looked a few years older, maybe slightly heavier. I noticed a sign next to her, but I didn't bother to read it.
To be honest, I was frustrated! I know that sounds horrible and mean. Here she is, sitting on the street, wasting away her life, when she could probably somewhat easily find a job at a strip club or another bar and try to make a new life for herself. I'm not angry that she's working for handouts/change, I'm frustrated for HER, because I see her as kinda throwing away her life. It annoys me more than ever when I see people being spineless, letting life sling shit at them but remaining very passive, not doing much for themselves. I thought MY life situation was bad around the time I decided to start dancing(didn't have money to pay my college tuition bill, was staying with a friend until I could make enough money for myself, had credit card debt), but my situation wasn't NEARLY as bad as hers probably is(assuming that she's really "homeless" and not just an "actor").
I wonder if perhaps some of the homeless/destitute females DON'T dance because they consider it "immoral"/"undignifying"/etc etc etc ...despite living a VERY undignified life struggling on the streets in filth and cold? I'm really starting to wonder that, especially after a comment I read on another site. But that view doesn't make sense to me at all! What do you guys think? Also, if you guys saw a young female non-ugly beggar, would you think to suggest dancing to her, or is that a really bad idea?


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Ah, live and learn, I suppose.
Sometimes you will catch her on a bus, reading a newspaper. Apparently if you try to talk to her, she will snap out at you and mutter "freakin' crazy." She is famous(or is it infamous?) around Wilmington...so "famous" in fact, that my guy friend's coworker was Duct Tape Shoes for a Halloween costume party one year! LOL.(sorry to laugh at someone's misery, but admittedly it is kinda funny)
Yep, there are people who panhandle for a living in NorCal. They make a living wage on it!
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