SEstreetlife photos: funny panhandling signs- 6/27/2022

Maybe I should have dressed as a minion for this one.  Back in 2007 or so, funny signs worked a lot better than they do now.  After the "Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness" in 2002-2014 or so, there are several times more visible homeless people, and people are sick of seeing us everywhere.  I get that.  Some people still give to panhandlers, just a smaller percentage of people.  When you think about it, panhandling is really just crowdfunding survival, whatever survival entails at the time.  #SEstreetlife

I had this idea in my head, but never bothered making the sign.  Then I walked up to a ramp last year, and this four foot long piece of cardboard, with handholds built in, was sitting there.  I had to try it.  I held it for two or three groups of cars, and didn't get any money.  I just wanted to say I flew this sign.  A buck or two every 3-6 groups of cars is about normal these days.  I memorized how to spell antidisestablishmentarianism in 6th grade, to intimidate other kids before the city spelling bee.  

Just for the record, I won, 6th grade city champ for Willard, Ohio, 1977?  But I cheated.  It was actually a 50 word written test, held in the Willard Junior High library.  I got 49  of the 50 words right.  One of the words was "ancient," and it was on a sign nearby, touting the Dewey Decimal System.  I would have missed it, and there would have been a three way tie for first, if the sign hadn't been there.  Lesson:  Winning a contest doesn't mean that much, there's usually cheating somewhere in the system, in pretty much everything.  

I flew this sign back East, where we had to sign up and get a permit, and then could panhandle "legally."  Panhandling is constitutionally protected free speech (as long as the Constitution holds up), but the location you stand can be trespassing, at times.  The permits back east pretty much just kept black guys from flying signs, due to excessive criminal records.  But few of them ever flew signs, anyhow.  

Just think about it...

This one is good more for crazy looks than money.  Sometimes you just have to entertain yourself while flying a sign.  

This is what most people think, no matter what your situation really is.  I've actually met two homeless guys in SoCal whose homes were flooded and destroyed in Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.  They came to Cali looking for work, and couldn't find any right away (2007-8).  It doesn't matter, you walk out on a ramp with a sign, and most people just think, "lazy bum."  #SEstreetlife, #steveemigphotos