I have a brief 8-10 minute walk from my house, through downtown, and then to the dock where I’m working for the summer. Each morning I traverse the 105 stairs down, walk past the Baranof Hotel, the Alaskan Fudge Company, and a host of other ‘tourist traps’ before arriving at the offices for Alaska Canopy Adventures. I love the people who are out as early as I am, although they look like they’ve already been working for hours, as they are usually the construction workers or shop keepers who are using this early morning time to tidy up the place pre-tourists. Every morning I say Hello to passers-by, usually with coffee in tow, and walk towards the snow-peaked mountains ahead.

…and every day, for the past couple of weeks, I see an middle-aged gentlemen sitting in his wheelchair just outside of the abandoned shop that posts a sign saying “Help the helpless!”. Not one to ignore people (or one to be blatantly rude either), I offered up a friendly gesture the first couple of times I saw him. Now when I pass him, I’m badgered. Wearing my huge coat last week and walking quite quickly through the winters mix that had dumped on us the night before, he asked me if I could spare any change. I told him that I couldn’t and that I was sorry. (Really, I had no money/change on me.) As I was almost out of earshot, I heard him say “That sure looks like a warm coat. Does it keep your hands warm at least?” I turned around and told him yes. “Sure wish someone would give me something to keep MY hands warm.” Still in a hurry I apologized for not being able to help and went on my way. I was slightly confused. Did he really want my purple coat? No matter.

Then two days ago the weather changed. It’s now sunny with highs in the mid-50s, so everyone has opened their Spring closets and brushed off their flip-flops. Happy to not have 4 layers of clothing on just to walk down the street, I settled on a short-sleeved shirt and some jeans. When I passed my confined “friend”, there was a woman standing next to him. Again he asked if I could spare some change. And again, honestly, I could not. And AGAIN, when I was almost past them, the woman called out after me, ”That sure is a pretty shirt, Miss. I bet you had some money when you bought that. I have to wear the same shirt every day.” Stunned and annoyed, I turned around to say something — although in retrospect, I don’t know what I would have said — and I saw the man had pulled out his cell phone and was chitchatting. My face must have shown my feelings because the woman looked at me, looked at him and then finally stammered, “Hey, the helpless need phones too, alright?”

They haven’t bothered me since.