The guardian., 1941-06-28
Panhandled
BY KARL GRAYSoN
@ Associated Newspapers.-wNUS Service.

" ALERIA really couldn't afford
V to give away a dollar bill, but
the story the panhandler told her
was pitiful and heart-rending.
Lady, l amt ct fer two days."
the panhandler whined, "an' my
wife and kids is up in New Hamp-
shire. l come down lookin' fer a
job, but there amt no jobs. I amt
ct fer two days, an if you could
spare me dollar l could buy my
self bus ticket up to where the
wife and kids is an :"
So Valeria fished into her purse
and produced dollar bill and hand
ed it to the man, which meant that
she would have to postpone getting
the chic brown hat she had been
saving for three weeks. And post
poning getting the hat might mean
disaster, because tomorrow night
she had date with Dan Hunting
ton.
The moment Valeria left the pam
handler she became angry at her
self because she had yielded to his
pleading. 1t wasn't the first time she
had been victimized in such man.
ner. Instinctively knights of the road
and paved streets sought her out.
She had that look about her which
seemed sympathetic toward unfor-
tunate mankind. Of course, it was
failing which she couldn't help.
Or thought she couldn't. Even
though she knew that none of the
stories the panhandlers told her
were true, even though she knew it
was a racket and that she was being
played for a first-class sucker.
By the time she had reached the
office where she worked as a stem
ographer, Valeria's rage was in
creased a hundredfold. And the pas
sage of time did nothing to allay it.
She was an idiot and she realized
1t, painful admission but never
theless a true one; a fault which
would do much to ruin her chances
with Dan Huntington and which,
in later life, would, unless some
thing were done to rectify it at once,
prove the bane of her existence.
AS on many other occasions,
Valeria resolved that never would
she yield again. Never. And then
she sighed dismally, knowing her
own weakness, knowing that when
the next time came the same thing
would happen. But would it? She
ground her teeth. If she could only
have the courage to resist once. Just
once. That would be enough.
Take it by and large, Valeria
spent pretty miserable day. En-
route home that night she did not,
as was her custom, walk up Market
street to Concord, because on Con-
cord street was the store whose
window contained the chic new
hat, and sight of it would, she knew,
bring on an attack of nostalgia and
fresh rage. Instead, she turned left
on Maple, followed through to
Forty-siXth, and headed east. At
the corner of Forty-sixth and Pleas
ant she waited for the green lights.
Standing there, in the depths of her
misery, she was a bit startled to
hear a voice close to her ear;
Please, lady, 1 amt ct for two
days. An my wife and kids is up in
New Hampshire. I come down"
Valeria whirled. $50! It's you!
Oh, joy, am glad to see you? I de-
clare l certainly ami"
The panhandler started in aston
ishment and bewilderment, instinc-
lively recoiled step. But Valeria
came after him.
so you don't remember me!
Well, my man, you'd better brush
up on your memory. What did you
do with the dollar l gave you this
morning to buy yourself bus tick
ct, so you could go home to your
wife and kids? Why aren't you up
there?"
The panhandler's eyes popped
open. "You-gimme dollar
this morning?" He cast look to
the right and one to the left, and
backed up some more, humping in
to curious pedestrian as he did so.
Other curious pedestrians had stop
ped and were watching in vast
amusement.
"Yes," said Valeria, angrily. "I
gave you a dollar to buy a bus
ticket. Where is it?"
"Why-it's in my pocket-I-'
"You haven't had time to buy the
ticket, eh?" said Valeria.
The panhandler frightened.
That's it, lady. l just amt had
time"
Valeria smiled coldly. 81 see.
Well, that's pity. However, we
can remedy the situation. You just
pass over the dollar and I'll buy you
your ticket"
'Pass over" The panhandler
looked around. There was panic in
his eyes. He was hemmed in by
pedestrians who seemed wholly in
sympathy with the girl; and po-
Hceman was coming across the
street.
"Yes," said Valeria. "Pass it
over"
The panhandler reached into his
pocket. He muttered and blubbere6.
But presently Valeria had the dollar