Article 3. A Lament
This evening, after having spent a lovely afternoon walking through what is arguably the most powerful city in the history of the world, I stopped into a liquor store to pick up a bottle of gin for my love and I to celebrate summer. The bottle of gin cost $15.00. I used the ATM, and I got a $20 bill. Like you do. While my cash was being dispensed, a line formed behind me. Others needed to by liquor, too.
Across the street, a hundred or so packed themselves into a Cash Only bar. Half a dozen people stood in line for the ATM, to get cash to buy drinks. In the bar, a single drink was like $15.00.
All around me were people out to get their party on, and no one was happy.
As I came out of the liquor store, a woman asked me for "like 85 cents". I reached into my pocket and gave her the only money I had, a $5.00 bill, change from my $20. She took it, and pulled it wide and displayed it out in front of herself like she'd just found Wonka's Golden Ticket, and then she began to began to dance around, singing "I'm gonna eat tonight." While several other beggars looked on with sadness.
"Next time," I said to them, "I can give you something."
"Thanks," one said, "if I'm still alive."
If I had $20 I could make 4 people so happy they would dance. Or even stay alive another night.
But I don't have $20. I had spent the other $15.
On gin.
I could only make one happy. But I made one person very, genuinely happy. And that made me happy.
A dozen people dressed to party walked past the group of beggars without even noticing they were there.
What is wrong with us, that it would take so little to fix so much, and we have so much, and we give so little, and we give it so begrudgingly. And we know that making other's happy will bring you happiness. And all we want is to be happy. So why do we persist in our anger and disgust for those who are dying? And then pay $15.00 for a drink, hoping it will make us happy. And then remain unhappy.
Across the street, a hundred or so packed themselves into a Cash Only bar. Half a dozen people stood in line for the ATM, to get cash to buy drinks. In the bar, a single drink was like $15.00.
All around me were people out to get their party on, and no one was happy.
As I came out of the liquor store, a woman asked me for "like 85 cents". I reached into my pocket and gave her the only money I had, a $5.00 bill, change from my $20. She took it, and pulled it wide and displayed it out in front of herself like she'd just found Wonka's Golden Ticket, and then she began to began to dance around, singing "I'm gonna eat tonight." While several other beggars looked on with sadness.
"Next time," I said to them, "I can give you something."
"Thanks," one said, "if I'm still alive."
If I had $20 I could make 4 people so happy they would dance. Or even stay alive another night.
But I don't have $20. I had spent the other $15.
On gin.
I could only make one happy. But I made one person very, genuinely happy. And that made me happy.
A dozen people dressed to party walked past the group of beggars without even noticing they were there.
What is wrong with us, that it would take so little to fix so much, and we have so much, and we give so little, and we give it so begrudgingly. And we know that making other's happy will bring you happiness. And all we want is to be happy. So why do we persist in our anger and disgust for those who are dying? And then pay $15.00 for a drink, hoping it will make us happy. And then remain unhappy.
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