Homeless and Crazy--two things that seem to go together...

I don't mean to be uncompassionate--I volunteered in a soup kitchen and helped take meals to homeless people when I was in college--but San Francisco is jam-packed with very aggressive (and sometimes scary) pandhandlers.

This guy was talking very angrily and loudly to everyone as they walked by. We all kind of kept one eye on him as we continued on our way...

Two days later, a guy was sitting on the sidewalk holding up a bush in front of him, and when Fran and I were walking by, he growled ferociously at us and made us both jump. Another dude, walking the other direction (so he saw the bum hiding behind the bush before he jumped out at us), laughed at us in this sniveling, mocking laugh. Seriously, it made me violently pissed at the guy that was laughing at us for some reason. Almost like thinking that the bum couldn't help it...I hate the smarmy yuk-monkey type that laughs at other people--reminds me of the snotty Frat boys I hated in college...

So, then, Fran and I started a mean streak of humor...

Me: "I think that guy would have scared me even if he wasn't jumping out at me"

Fran: "Forget it."

"Hey there, bum-dude. How's that panhandling method working out for you there?"

"Gee, ever wonder why you're homeless with that great people-person thing ya got going?"

"I'll be thinking of you when it gets down to 42 tonight--you enjoy that bush"