today dave and i went to walmart to pick up my prescriptions. as we pulled out of the parking lot, we saw a man standing on the corner. this particular corner always has a pan handler on it, it is usually someone scruffy-looking and sad who is holding a sign that has a tragedy printed on it...but not today. today the man that was standing there was a young man who was not scruffy-looking and he was smiling. the sign he was holding read, "i bet you $1.00 that you read this sign" and i just started laughing and told dave that i thought the laugh he gave me was worth a buck. I pulled a dollar out of my wallet and rolled my window down.
dave and i started talking about that man and how he didn't really look like he was hard on his luck or downtrodden at all. i mentioned how i thought it would be a really interesting social experiment to stand on a corner pan handling...just to take a week and maybe vary your appearance and the sign you held a bit each day to see how people responded or didn't respond to you. i am a people-watcher. i love to sit in the airport or the mall and just watch. i think it would be fascinating to observe people from that vantage point...
...i really was amused by his sign, it is unfortunate for him that he didn't write a sign that said, "i bet you $5.00 that you read this sign" because today i really needed that laugh.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Social Experiment
Posted by pinkmorning at 5:36 PM
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8 comments:
now that is one clever man. i would have given a ten dollar bill at that! thanks for sharing! i hope all is well. are you guys excited for the upcoming fall months?
- audrey
how funny. i wonder how much money he made! I am so a people watcher, too. thanks for the thoughtful comment... hope you are doing well despite the craziness :)
Funny.. You know that when I was apart of the Sugarhouse Rotary club, noe ofht emajor topics was pan handlers. I guess that there are some of them who get dressed up like that, but actually make a pretty good living.
Ya, when I worked as a waitress in college, I always had cash. Most of the time when I drove past someone on the exit of a freeway, I would give them a dollar. I used to get such varied reactions to it. Some people thought I was a saint and others looked at me like I was plum loco. However, I figure, even if they make a good living, it really isn't for me to judge. However, now I never have cash on me, but I do usually have crackers, fruit leather or some sort of snack. That is what I usually give now. Won't buy much, but it if they're hungry, it will fill there tummy at least for the moment.
yeah, i remember that when i was riding with you. i don't have cash on me usually but while dave and i are commuting together until he gets his new truck next week i have tried to carry some cash so that if someone in my office is going to pick up lunch i can give them cash to pick me up a bite to eat on the days when dave has the car and i am carless.
Hey Pink Morning, I think I have actually met you before. I was one of Laura's companions on mission. Anyway, I came to your parent's house in Sandy a few times, so I think we met once or twice. Anyway, you asked me about those pumpkin jars. They did actually turn out cute, but I wasn't so sure at first... My "tips" would be use the smaller size jars. The smaller ones were easier to reach the bottom. I used some mayo jars and they are really just too big. Martha said to use oil based paint. I used craft paint. That may have been one reason my paint wouldn't stick well. Sooooo, I would use what she said, oil based paint. As for the faces, I just made my own faces. They were the easiest part. Just get thick masking tape, draw faces on, put it on the jar and use an exacto knife to cut out the features. I used a stencil brush to dab the paint on this part, but you could use whatever brush. I hope that helps some. After all was done, they were a fun project. Then you put wire on the tops for handle and fill them with candy. Cute for a party decoration for sure! Let me know if you have more questions. thelissasthoughts.blogspot.com.
There is this guy in San Diego who has a sign that says "Dollar please" and even if you don't give him a dollar he flips the sign over and it says "THANKS".
It is always interesting and fun to see something out of the ordinary. It sounds like it made your day. I too think it would be an interesting sociological experiment to pose as a pan handler. I think it would be fascinating to be a sociologist and watch people and figure out what makes them tick.
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