Beg Business

What about the woman outside the Wendy's next to the Chase building? "How you DOIN' today - STREETWISE!" She belts it out like a classically trained opera singer. Over. And over. And over again.

She's long gone now, but there used to be an old lady outside of the Century Mall on Clark who was beloved. Anyone who didn't give to her was a jerk.

There are so many greats, how can you pick just a few. You don't seem to have a Loop representative such as sleepy wheelchair guy, accordion guy, woman with child or large man on knees begging.

I can remember a time when no self-respecting person would admit they were on the dole let alone beg for money. I suppose some people think our society has improved since then.

Sleepy Wheelchair Guy is a legend! definitely.

The dole? Um, I don't think there's a dole in America.

Selling Streetwise is not panhandling. It helps people avoid panhandling by giving them work selling a legitimate product, just like selling the Sun-Times or Tribune. I'm not a big fan of Streetwise's paltry content, but I appreciate the intent of the venture.

Some years ago, I remember a case where a guy came to work from the burbs without his wallet and was fired when he arrived at work. Well dressed, he started to ask for money to get home. He did so well that he came downtown every day dressed well and pahhandled for a living.

That sounds like an urban legend. Snopes, anyone?

What about Crazy Mary on Rush St? The woman has been a fixture for at least twenty years and maybe the most colorful character in the city. The stream of four-lterr words and oobcene gestures this woman has in her arsenal would have made the recently deceased George Carlin blush.

1. The Precise Panhandler. Guy who lives/hangs out at one of the halfway houses around my place in Bryn Mawr. Used to ask me for 35 cents, 40 cents, 70 cents. Now standard amount is a dollar. Inflation. Also, his buddy who asked me if he had asked me for money before, I said yes, and he moved on. Apparently he takes inventory so as not to duplicate his actions.

2. Everybody's Buddy Panhandler. Guy used to hang out near where I worked. Came up to me the first time and pretended me knew me, like we were friends. I realized halfway through I didn't know this guy but gave him a buck anyway. He apparently forgot he hit me up once before because he did it several more times.

3. Dapper Panhandler. Guy wearing a clean, decent suit, hat and carring a clean suitcase. Said he lost his wallet and had to get back to the airport. Over the years the hat got a little beat up, the suitcase got ripped but he was still on his way back to the airport.

4. New favorite: Fairly young kid sitting on the sidewalk outside of Old Navy on State Street. Alternately askes for money for food, plain old food or subway fare. The most sorrowful voice I've heard from a panhandler.

What about the guy at Adams & Wabash who sings "God bless you / Thank you" over and over again? It's in a tune that gets stuck in my head.

Also there's the guy who's always around Congress and Dearborn. He has one leg and uses it to propel his wheelchair. Oddly, though I see him nearly every day, he's never actually asked me for money.

And there's the woman in the loop whom I've seen in various situations over the years, but the voice is unmistakable:
"Spa-a-a-a-a-a-ahre some change??"

so.....what about the 'not blind guy' that has been panhandling with the huge cross around his neck, that sits near the Madison Entrance to the Metra Trains. He has been seen striding along on Wacker up to Madison and then West on Madison for years...sets up shop and pretends to be blind...yet, I have seen him look into his 'can' when people drop $$ in. What a hoax. He used to be by the Merc, but I think he finally decided he might get more $$ if he were nearer to the train station. Times are tough for the fake panhandlers too, I guess, since there are a few of them, doing their turf war thing. We are on to you, not so blind guy...!!!

Numerous guys walking through el cars have this speech memorized:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't mean any harm. I am homeless and hungry. I've made some bad decisions in my life, but I am trying to turn it around. Any little bit of change you can spare is much appreciated..."

Whoever wrote that one knows how to tug the heartstrings better than a John Williams film score.

My favorite is the little guy outside the Walgreens on N. Michigan Ave. by the Wrigley Building. Sweet old guy. Probably a millionaire.

Anonymous 12:37: That Walgreen's guy on Michigan is good. He never really says anything, he just sort of hovers by the revolving door. It's almost like he's an employee of Walgreen's or a greeter.

How about the lady who sits by Union Station crying and crying that she needs money.

Or the young girl by Union Station singing "Street wise today, thank you have a good day"

How about the guy at Michigan and Adams (Art Institute) who tells jokes/puns in a good acting voice. Really funny!. He could be on the late show. May be selling streetwise besides, I'm not sure.

The Art Institute Guy always calls me "Schwarzenegger" for some reason. Always makes me laugh.

I like the guy the stands on the corner where you get off 55 at Cicero on the way to Midway. He's had dibs on that corner since the late 1800s.

Halsted Clipboard Man was finally run off. First Walgreen's, then Binny's. Last I saw he was hanging out around Diversy and Clark.