Why is it that only people who know what it's like tp be destitute are willing to give to those who need money?

Yesterday, as Luke and I were on our way into town so that I could go to work, we saw a guy about our age standing in the cold at the end of an offramp. He had a sign saying that he was trying to get a bus ticket back home to Arizona and that any amount of money would help. People our age don't usually mess around with begging for money here, so we knew we weren't getting screwed out of some cash. Plus, I felt for this guy more than you can imagine. I know what it's like to not have the money to go home; I'm in that boat right now. Neither Luke nor I had anything smaller than a 10, so we just figured we may as well give it to him. I rolled my window down, the light very close to changing and handed the bill to him. As soon as he looked at what it was we had given him, a look of shock came across his flushed face, and he said "Holy shit! Thank you! Thank you so much, you guys! Have a great day. Thank you so much." And I knew that we had done the right thing.

I wished him luck as I rolled my window back up, the light having changed, and I felt good. Why can't people who actually have money to spare actually realize that giving away some of the surplus is nice?

Luke and I may be curmudgeonly, but we know what it's like to be in dire need, whenther it be of friends, cash, or just a ride somewhere, and we often won't hesitate to aid someone in genuine need.

I never got the guy's name, but I hope that the people of Madison, taking the Midvale/Verona Rd. exit off the westbound Beltline were kind and generous to him. I hope that he scraped together enough to be on a warm, if cramped, bus toward home right now.