When we go back east to visit my folks, we like to show the kids a different city. Last week it was Philadelphia.
After I finished taking the shot above, I looked up and saw a young man chatting with Holly and the kids. When I got closer, I realized he was asking for money.
I rarely give money on the street, but I didn’t want to cut him off, so I waited for him to finish his story. It was a pitiful story and he ended it with a plea for a few dollars. Before I could decline, Aaron chirped, “Sure!” and started rummaging through all his pockets. That’s what I love so much about Aaron: empathetic to a fault.
Both Holly and I just looked at him. The panhandler looked at him. There was a pregnant pause. Aaron looked up at us looking at him and said, “Isn’t anyone else going to give this guy some money?”
Present Tense 