As we turned round a corner, I noticed him. He didnt seem much older than me - maybe 2-3 years. We stopped at the signal and that gave me more time to observe. Dirtyish white shirt, worn out pants, a glint in the eye. But the most striking thing was the piece of paper he held in his hands. Tidily written words on it said "Single dad, jobless for 4 months. FINALLY FOUND A JOB. But first pay-day on 12th August. Need money to feed my child. Anything helps." Something about that sign touched me. He wasnt the first jobless person I was seeing in this part of the world. But something in those words told me he was genuine. Maybe it was the "FINALLY FOUND A JOB" or maybe it was the "Single dad". Instinctively, I reached for my pocket to take out a 20 dollar bill, and then came the hesitation - what if he was a phony, what if he was just another junkie trying to dupe people for another pinch of powder, what if he had no intentions of working and was just trying to use his kid to make money, what if he....The signal turned green, my friend accelerated on the pedal of his swanky BMW and we sped away. The pang of regret that crossed my heart was unbearable. My slight hesitation might have cost a young dad and his little kid tonight's dinner. I hope it did not, but I cant cast the "what if" away. The moment is gone. The guilt continues to stay.
