So what do you do back then or today? What should I have done in hindsight on the streets of New Delhi back in the days of peace love and full pukus?
Cross the road before the blip manifested into a life sized lost and lonely fellow human being, or do the poor man's haka faking an attempt to look for any long lost coins you have spent already on the parking meter around the corner?
The issue of homeless street people, or 'streeties' as we in the social service sector refer to them, has been highlighted once again with some Auckland premises installing sprinkler systems to keep the rough sleepers from dossing down in their doorways.
Before we jump on our moral mules and ride into this argument about anti-homeless sprinklers, let's consider some of the realities when it comes to streeties and the way they apply their trade in our own doorways here in Tauranga Moana and Rotorua.
Firstly, we have about 48 streeties (not to be confused with homeless whanau we are trying to look after with the three recently-opened emergency houses) and the numbers are increasing as they are in Auckland from 68 in 2013 to 177 today.
Of these as many as 80 per cent have addiction issues and are begging on the streets to feed their habits and, by giving them a koha, we feed those habits.
Secondly, unlike Auckland, we have a great Tauranga Moana Nightshelter for these streeties to take refuge in, should they choose to do so and if they can comply with the shelter's house rules.
And while you are considering your stance aboard the prancing mule let's bring in the bottom line of a local streetie who often claims he needs money to get to his job interview.
We estimate he pulls in $100 on a bad day and up to three times that on a good one. For that kind of cup in hand koha he could be chauffeur driven to his interview. Just saying bro.
So, when we cobble together the coins of these streeties, it adds up to a whole lot of help.
Sadly, I don't think money given to streeties often makes it past the local bottle shop or drug dealer, who are waiting in the wings with short-term solutions for long-term addictions.
This leads us to the dilemma of should we give when we are face to face, or kanohi ki te kanohi, with streeties begging in our CBD?
For my two bobs' worth of benevolence the answer is an empathetic no.
Instead, let us consider some other options.
Why not install the old-style parking meters outside key begging spots. We the empathetic public drop in our koha coins.
Then the on-to-it council empties them out regularly and pass it on to the night shelter to cover its operating costs?
Kapai?
Sure, the streeties will not like it but the shop owners will.
To get you started on your new strategy for streeties here are a couple of tips when faced with a streetie begging.
- Acknowledge them straight up. Instead of ignoring them, look at them. Nod, smile, or say hello to show you are aware of their presence. This is a compassionate response and it won't cost you any money.
- Refuse to give money politely. A flat "no" to their request might seem rude and uncaring.
- Ask, "What do you need the money for?"
- Offer food. If you are near a restaurant or café, offer to buy a cup of coffee or a sandwich. If they need a ride to work then say you will pick them up in 5 - if they are still there!
- Lastly, and most importantly, let them know you support the local homeless shelter by popping in a few coins to the old-style parking meter that just maybe council will soon install.
Before you saddle up the mule and start moaning about these streeties - consider this. "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."