Today whilst waiting to get into get my eyes checked I was put in the upstairs waiting room at Specsavers. It is positioned in the High Street of our main town of Newport and being a country girl who avoids going into town as much as possible, I found myself people watching. Other than seeing my first ex (15 years my elder) which was a really odd experience and re-enforced the need for glasses in the first place, my eyes were drawn to a older woman selling the Big Issue. She was stood outside of a shop and was asking each person who went by whether they wanted to buy one. The first thing I noticed is the vast amount of rude and ignorant people out there. So many went past her and never acknowledged her when she spoke to them. Even when she said good day or have a good day she was mostly ignored.
I found that women in their 50-70's were more likely to smile and speak to her, some went in for a chat with the seller. Most people younger than that and most men ignored her completely. There were exceptions to that though including the two 14-15 year old sisters who begged their parents for money to buy a copy. It brought a smile to my face.
What does it cost and take to be polite? To exchange a smile or a hello, is it too much to ask to treat her like a human being? Is it so bad that you can't possibly show her that she does indeed exist in yours and everyone elses eyes?
This woman is out there like other sellers for hours on end. She had been stood on her feet in the blazing sun selling these magazines so she can survive. It must be soul destroying doing that day in day out and even more so when you are treated like you aren't even there. And the whole time she was polite and smiley
I watched her for quite awhile and she must've sold about 5 issues of the magazine, she never once sat down, it was exhausting just watching her.
I am the kind of person who struggles with cities, we don't have much obvious homelessness here on the island but we are beginning to see it more and more. When I go to London on those rare occasions to visit the museums Im not one of those people who can walk past the homeless and not notice them, if they speak to me I speak back and I am always polite to them and smile at them. It doesn't cost me anything but it can make a difference to those on the recieving end.
I cannot imagine my kids ever walking past people and ignoring them, but I see others doing it all the time and it's heartbreaking to see.
Please make an effort, I don't always have money but it doesn't mean I can't acknowledge them. If I had the spare cash then I would buy an issue if they were selling, if I had the spare cash I would buy them a cuppa and a sandwich. We never know, one day that could be us and we wouldn't want to be treated the same way as I have witnessed. Make a difference, show them they exist and they matter.
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