The cap belongs to a regular. Regular panhandler, that is. He's good at what he does for a living, and I've come to watch for his latest pitch.
The man works several areas on the west side of town. The thing that interests me is his adaptability and willingness to try something different.
"Why lie?" "I need a beer," was the first sign I remember him having, and it made me smile. It was lettered on the backside of another sign that said "Vet down on his luck." If you looked his way, and he thought you were close enough to read the sign, he'd flip it over to the beer commercial and grin. It worked.
A good sign, plus the ability--somewhat unusual in a panhandler--to catch your eye and give you an engaging grin for a second, gave him an edge. He still has that grin. Still sells with it. He's good. Just before you have a chance to feel uncomfortable, he'll break eye contact and look behind you at the next car.
Here's what impresses me. When he gets a new idea, he implements! I should be more like him in this regard. And if it doesn't work, he doesn't hang on to it. He makes a new sign, and tries it out on a new audience at another streetcorner.
Yesterday he was sporting the cap you see. $ for my MOTHER, it proclaimed. Same engaging smile, same look now, look away. It must have been less than successful, because here it was this morning, all by its lonesome.
I snapped the shot, and then another when the wind blew the cap around. I learned a lesson from my friend today, and it has value for my business. "Hey," I called when he smiled. I rolled down the window, and he came over. I gave him two dollar bills. "Thank you," he said as he moved away from traffic. "No," I called back as I left the intersection. "Thank YOU!"
Do you fear change? No need! Give it to the guy on the streetcorner, and the fear will vanish.
Mike in Tucson
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