I was distracted, and when I looked into his eyes, the impact was overwhelming, it hit me so hard. I couldn't think clearly; I just wanted to leave. I felt an intense pain in my chest. I realize now that I should have calmed myself and proceeded with the transaction, get some bags to help this dude. It was a valuable lesson, though I was caught off guard by the 4D STS while I was distracted.
Thanks.
Hi c0rvn3n thanks for your reply, I totally get it. Sorry if I was insensitive to your pain.
Just to be a bit more cynical, he may not be a 'poor lad'. Cleckley wrote that some psychopaths tends towards homelessness and substance addiction. They have an uncanny ability to mimic real human emotions, and often use victimhood as an emotional hook. Psychopaths are also capable of using their eyes to target prey, known as 'gazing'. Just something that we should all be aware of - most of the time, we don't know who or what we are looking at when we meet a strangers eyes. Best to keep the shields up and not make assumptions.
This does sound a bit cynical to me tbh mate, I've met lots of homeless folks over the years, just through chatting to them mainly. I've also had the most unexpected random acts of kindness from a couple of them when I was feeling rubbish myself. I think too many people make negative assumptions about homeless people. Most come from a background of being in foster care from my experience.
I've not had any issues like gazing from them or anything even close. I do get what your saying though, and probably some of them do use emotional hooks in some cases, and I've probably fallen for it.
I've had to deal with homeless people sometimes as a security guard too, but not one of them caused any major problems really, mostly they're having serious mental health problems and medical emergencies with smoking spice etc.
I've had way more issues with rude entitled members of the public who are "upstanding citizens". And I mean WAY more.
This after living in London for ten years, and Bristol for ten years, have worked with members of the public on the street's as a guard, charity fundraising, handing out flyers for night clubs all hours of the night in central London and worked in shops of various settings for around 30 years so I've met loads of people.
You could be more objective and I could be wrong of course, it doesn't really matter too much, they are just different opinions I suppose. It's good to share differences of opinion in my mind. And I don't know about your life experiences which may be a lot broader than mine!
But sometimes things are not that bad and I try to see the best in a person, If I'm wrong and they disrespect me or whatever, i just stop interacting, move on and just get on with it after being a bit grumpy for a while, then put it down to experience. (Nowadays anyway).
When I was younger it was a different story.. Had a really bad defensive attitude. But that was a very long time ago and I've changed a lot.
I think there are far greater risks than stuff like this. It's good to be vigilant but it can get stiffing and stop people from just the simplicity of giving, like it's the small acts of kindness from everyday folk who keep evil at bay.. As in Gandalf's quote in LOTR. These little things kinda pull me though the day sometimes.
On a different note I've also met people who I thought to be asleep in the matrix only to be proven totally wrong and vice versa.
We can agree on one thing though and that's not to make assumptions about anyone, one way or another. It's not easy though.