Miss Baby

There's a particular panhandler in downtown Pittsburgh who calls herself Miss Baby. She stands with a worn fast-food cup and a big smile, cap pulled down over her hair and asks "Can you spare anything now for Miss Baby, precious?" How can you resist that? I gave her a dollar today on Forbes Avenue on my way from Market Square up to Macy's. "Oh thank you precious!" Made me feel like I wanted to be a small child and have her cradle me in her arms.

One of my coworkers is of the opinion that panhandlers and beggars should not be given money, because it only encourages them not to go into shelters. I don't know. Sometimes I don't give, and truthfully its because the person seems too unlikable. One poor woman who appears and disappears from the streets is tiny, with stringy white-blonde shoulder-length hair. I think she is missing a few teeth. Her beg is always the same, she spots you, makes for you and whines "Do you have fifty cents?" I feel bad for her. But for some reason, I don't like her.

***

Random funny line from "Seinfeld":

"He was moving on her like the storm troopers into Poland," Newman.

Episode: The infamous making out during "Schindler's List" show.

***

Random headline from today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09013/941345-28.stm

Headline: CMU spinof firm's software teaches non-native speakers clearer English.

***

Thanks for reading, Katy