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0.Mostofuswillhadtheexperienceatonetimeoranotherofwalkingpastbeggarswithoutgivingthemanything.Weprobablythinkupexcusesfornotreachingintoourpockets,asdidtheauthorofthistest.Yetonedaywhenshehurriedpastabeggarinthestreetsomethinghappenedthatledhertolookatthoseseekinghelpwithcompletelyneweyes.1.IwasnineteenyearsoldthefirsttimeIsawmyowntruecharacter.IwishIcouldsayIwasproudofwhatIsaw,butthatwouldbealie.AtleastIcansaythatmytruecharacterchangedthatday.Myoveralloutlookonpeoplemanagedtotakea180-degreeturninlessthantenminutes.WhowouldhavethoughtthatthefirstpersontochangethewayIviewedhumanitywouldbeacompletestranger?2.Foraboutayear,myvoyagetoandfromworkeachdayincludedasubwayridefollowedbyaten-minutewalkthroughtheheartofdowntownToronto.Aswithmostlargecities,thehomelesspopulationofTorontooftencongregatedondowntowncorners,askingpedestriansfortheirsparechange.Likemostbusycitizens,Ilearnedtoignorethenamelessfaceswhobeggedmeformoneyeachday.Whenitcametohomelessbeggars,mylimitedlifeexperiencehadledmetooneassumption¡ªyouareonthestreetsbecauseyouchoosetobe,probablyduetodrugsoralcohol.3.Iremembernotinghowparticularlycoldtheweatherhadbeenthatseason.Itwasmid-December,andthetemperaturewasachillyminus20-degreesCelsius.Iwalkedwithmyheaddown,desperatelywishingthatmyofficewasclosertothesubwaystop.Ipassedtheusualmobsofhomelessbeggars,ignoredallofthem,andcontinuedwalking.AsIcrossedtheintersectionofQueenandYongestreets,Isawhimsittingagainstabuilding,wrappedinseverallayersofthincloth,holdingawhitecupinfrontofhim.Iheardhisshaky,patheticvoicetargetmeasIspedpasthim.4.¡°Sparesomechange?¡±heasked.¡°Iwouldreallyappreciateit.¡±5.Ididn¡¯tevenbotherlookingupathisnamelessface.Ibrieflypicturedhimwalkingintotheclosestliquorstoreandstockinguponwhiskeywithwhatevermoneyhemanagedtoconjureupthatday.Or,maybeheneededanotherhitofcocaine.Clearly,ifhehadeverbeenmarried,hiswifewouldhaveliterallykickedhimtothecurbwhenhecouldn¡¯tgethishabitundercontrol.See,likemostteenagers,ittookmeonlymomentstopassjudgmentonhislife.6.¡°Ihavenomoneyonme,¡±Isaidquickly.7.Lookingbacknow,Ifeelasthoughfatehadsetoutthatdaytoteachmealesson.Anditsucceeded.Justafewfeetpasthim,Imanagedtofindtheonlyicepatchonthesidewalk.AsIslipped,Itriedtopositionmyselfsotheimpactwouldoccuronmyhipandthigh,butunfortunatelymyaimwasaboutasgoodasmyjudgmentofcharacter,andImanagedtolandsquareonmyrightknee.ThepainsearedthroughmeasIlayonthegroundforseveralmomentswonderingifIhadfracturedmykneecap.AsItriedtocometogripswiththenotionofactuallygettingup,Iheardafamiliar,gruffvoiceonlyinchesaboveme.8.¡°Areyouallright?¡±heasked.9.IknewimmediatelythatthiswasthemanIhadjustrushedpast.Eveninpain,Istilltookaquickmomenttosniffforthefaintestsmellofalcoholonhisbreath.Therewasnone.Beforemyeyesbegantowellupwithtears,Isawthesmooth,sympatheticlookinhiseyes.Hewasn¡¯tdrunkorhigh.10.IheldhishandasIstruggledtogettomyfeet.HeheldmyarmasIhobbledtothenearbybusstopandquicklysatonthebench.ThepaininmylegtoldmethatIhaddefinitelydonemorethansimplybruisedmyknee.Ineededanx-ray.11.¡°MynameisMike,¡±hesaid,asItriedtofindacomfortablepositiononthebench.¡°Youreallyshouldn¡¯ttrywalkingonthatleg.Thatwasquiteafallyoutook,andyoureallyneedtogetitcheckedbyadoctor,¡±hesaidwithdeepconcern.12.¡°Thisbusgoespastthehospital,¡±Isaidquickly,pointingtothebussignaboveme.13.Mikepaused,andalookofsuddenrealizationcrossedhisface.Hereachedintohispocketandpulledouthissmallwhitecup.Hedumpedthemeageramountofchangeintothepalmofhishandandcountedit.Heheldonlymoneyouttowardme,andafterafewconfusingmomentsIlookedupathiminsheerbewilderment.14.¡°Iknowyoudon¡¯thaveanychangeonyou,¡±hesaid,¡°butIcanalwaysgiveyouthis.Ithinkthere¡¯sjustenoughhereforyoutotakethebus.¡°15.IwasoverwhelmedwithguiltasIrememberedthelieIhadtoldhimonlyafewshortminutesearlier.Iturnedawayfromhisofferinghandandreachedformypurse.Ipulledoutmywalletanddumpedmyownchangeintothepalmofmyhand.IfeltMike¡¯seyesonmeasIcountedthroughthemoneythatIhadtoldhimdidn¡¯tevenexist.Ihadatleasttendollarsworthofchangeinmyhand.IcountedoutenoughmoneyformetotakethebustothehospitalandthenturnedtoMiketoofferhimtherest.HeheldouthiscupasIplacedthehandfulofchangeinit.IwishedIhadsomebillstogivehim,butIhadn¡¯tbeentothebankyetthatday.16.¡°Thankyou,¡±hesaidquietly.Itwasbyfarthemostsincere¡°thank-you¡±Ihadeverheardinmylife.Justbehindhim,Iheardthebusapproaching.Heheldouthishandtohelpmestandup.17.¡°Thankyou,¡±Isaidasthebussloweddowninfrontofme.¡°Youtakecareofyourself,¡±Isaidsheepishly.BothofusknewthatfiveminutesearlierIcouldn¡¯thavecaredlesswhathappenedtohim.18.¡°Iwill,¡±hesaid.¡°Andyoutakecareofthatleg.¡±19.¡°Iwill.¡±120.Ihobbledontothebusandtookaseatbythewindow.IwatchedMikeasheclungtohiscupofchange,cherishingitasifitwerethefirstgifthehadeverreceived.Despitehisgratitude,Ididn¡¯tfeelabsolvedformyactions.AhalfcupofchangeseemedtoosmallagiftforthemanwhogaveanametoeverynamelessfaceI¡¯veeverseen.