SURVEY: What Do You Think Of Panhandling In Atlanta?

This morning Centennial Park blasted out a survey asking Atlantans what they thought of the panhandling problem downtown. Anyone who talks to me often knows how I feel about it, dudes get on my damn nerves. You can barely walk anywhere downtown without someone harassing you for money. When I say "harass" I don't mean as in simply ask. I've never really minded helping the less fortunate out, though when you're asked 5 times in one outing, it does get your nerves. And unlike Mr. Wendal, these cats don't give you any life game or even offer to wash a window in exchange for a couple dollars, these dudes nowadays just take it and buy some 211. But its not the cats that simply ask for a little help that get on my nerves. Its the ones that get all strategic with it.

Example, I was going out on a date one night. As me and the young lady are approaching the restaurant, a beggar runs up on us asking for money. When I say "nah, I'aine got it" this fool says "well, I know a lot of ya'll cats don't carry cash anymore, but there is an ATM inside."

Nigga what?!? Are you serious?

So I'm supposed to go to the ATM (which will surcharge me more than any amount I was gonna give yo'ass anyway) and just give you some money, like I owe it to you? Maaaaaan...

Then I remember this funny ass story my dad was telling me not too long ago. He said when he was at the Wendy's on Boulevard, that he ordered a chicken nugget meal at the drive through. He said right when he was about to complete his order, he heard a voice say "say brah, can you get me one of those too?" Confused he asked who he thought was the Wendy's employee on the speaker, "what?" He said the voice came again and said "yeah brah, I'm hungry" and then some dude came from behind the speaker. Yeah, people, they are hiding behind drive-thru speakers now, its dead serious out here.

Posting up outside the MARTA station, waiting on you outside the bank, standing by the parking meters...THAT's the stuff that gets on my nerves. Now I'm noticing that there are grown ass men on Northside Dr. walking around with "the paper." Ya'll know "the paper." The little sheet of paper that little kids used to walk around with talking about they play on the school football team and are raising money for a field trip. Yeah, grown ass men are doing that now. Damn shame.

But anyways, like I was saying, a survey was blasted out this morning encouraging people to leave feedback as to if they think the City of Atlanta is doing enough to combat the panhandling problem downtown. I took the survey and answered the questions the best way I could. But, I noticed that a lot of the questions involved increasing police involvement. Now, these bums get on my nerves and all, but I don't want the police roughing them up either though. So, if you take the survey, answer the questions with the best solution you think is possible, sans police.

SURVEY: What Do You Think Of Panhandling In Atlanta?