[Flashpoint]

I recall a homeless guy in our home town. Us kids used to torment him something awful because he was a crazy street person.

I found out later who he was. Turns out he was college professor who was driving into work one day with his wife and two kids. A drunk driver hit them and killed everyone in his family. This was the early 80's, so depression wasn't all that accepted in society. The guy lost everything, and used alcohol to self medicate.

I felt pretty bad even though it was years later. Maybe something to keep in mind if you go out of your way to be sh--ty to someone on the street. I just say "no change" and move on. Odds are they don't have a similar tale of woe, but you never know.


That said, if we didn't have $1 and $2 coins, you probably wouldn't see as many panhandlers. A lot harder to pull in $20 from people's pocket change when you are dealing with dimes and pennies instead of loonies and toonies.