© Opinions the other presse Kali Thurber opinionsubmit@hotmail.com March 31, 2004 The Key To Panhandling Kali Thurber Opinions Editor It was recently announced that tokens, in the form of plastic keys, will be sold at various convenience stores in an effort to reduce the amount of cash that is doled out to panhandlers. These keys are meant to be given to panhandlers as a replacement for currency, and can then be cashed in for food, shelter, and clothing. The necessity for such a token conveys the complicated aitd often sceptical disposition that Vancouver holds for its homeless community. My own standpoint on the pan- handlers of Vancouver has fluctuat- ed over the years that I’ve made this city my home. As a small town country girl, | moved to Vancouver and watched in appalled horror as crowds of Vancouverites strutted past beggars and panhandlers with- out even a smile in their direction. It seemed unbelievable to me that any- one could go buy their coffee or walk out of the liquor store without dropping some change into the open cardboard boxes and cups sit- ting in front of the starving home- less folks outside. Soon I concluded that Vancouverites were a horde of cold-hearted, selfish people and began making up for their absence of guilt by giving all my hard-earned waitressing tips to any panhandler who asked. But even throughout my phase of inces- sant giving, the guilt of having a bed to sleep in and food to eat continued to surmount—that is, until I met Bob. On West 4th avenue, I passed Bob every day on my way home from work. As a part of my routine, I would drop a few dollars into his cup, and eventually we had a rela- tionship in which certain expecta- tions and an unspoken agreement were present. I never questioned Bob as to where and how he spent the money I gave him, and he always said “Thank you,” to relieve me of some of the guilt that probed unforgivingly in my head. One day, broke and hungry, I cashed in a free bagel coupon at a café and came across Bob. He said “Hello,” I said “Hello,” and an uncomfortable silence followed. With no change in my pockets I offered the plain bagel to Bob. In short, he was not pleased. It seemed that without our usual give-take agreement my previously civil rela- tionship with Bob disappeared. Angrily, Bob threw the bagel at me and proceeded to yell, “You think I want a bagel? There's not even any cream cheese on that thing. What are you—cheap?” After this my attitude towards panhandlers was obviously altered. Pessimism took over and I even recall a time that I inwardly sneered when someone asked me for spare change. The tokens that are being introduced now are an attempt to avoid supporting people like Bob. Instead of food, Bob wanted money—I guess now, in my cynical In The Pagoda Taoist Master Cheng Xiangong Ouyang Ziyun | OP Contributor Ding and he lived Sue in Wuli, Wau County, Guiyang City. Born in the late Han Dynasty, he was already seven feet tall at age thirteen. He was a minor official who worked at the county government and spoke very few words. He looked different from ordinary people and had a presence about him. Cheng had a big heart and never flattered those superior to him. People all said he was foolish, Because he had a natural talent, he was able to understand the Taoist scriptures at a young age by reading on his own. One day, he went on an errand to the capital and passed Changsha City on his way back. He could not find a hotel, so he slept in the wilderness. Suddenly, he heard someone talking in the tree, “Let's go to Changsha to buy the drug.” Cheng Xiangong looked up and saw two white cranes sitting in a tree and he was surprised. In a street in Changsha, he saw two people walk- ing with white umbrellas. Cheng ais rae Sunt © . «wv ett 1 paret F Xiangong approached them and invited them to dinner. After the meal, the two people left without any thanks. Xiangong followed them for a few miles until the two people asked, “Do you want some- thing from us, after following us for so long?” Xiangong said, “I was born in a low place and I heard you have a Taoist way that can obtain eternal life, so I followed you.” The two people exchanged a smile and took out a book from a jade box. They flipped through the book and found Cheng Xiangong, or Wu Ding’s name in it. They gave Cheng Xiangong two pills and asked him to swallow them. The two people said to Cheng Xiaogong, “You should obtain the Dao and become an earthly god.” They then sent him home. From then on, Cheng Xiangong knew the answers to all the secrets in the world and he could even understand the language of beasts and birds. After returning home, the county government sent Cheng Xiangong to deliver the county chief’s salary to him. The chief’s name was Zhou Xin and he was good at recognizing outstanding people. He asked Xiangong’s name when he saw him and Xiangong said, “My name is http://www.otherpress.ca 9 ‘ BS:F29T5 131! tui) (ea? Shs BUF) 9: state, that it was money for drugs or liquor. Since the tokens will not be accepted at liquor stores or by drug dealers (at least not that we know of) they will take a lot of panhan- dlers with this goal in mind off the streets. But there is another angle that a few venturesome panhandlers have taken. These individuals use honest humour to solicit money from oth- ers. I've seen signs that read such straightforward slogans as, “Spare change so I can get drunk,” or “Money for my marijuana addic- tion.” I often wonder if these entre- preneurs receive more cash than the people with beat-up signs that say, “['m hungry.” There are two specific ~ panhandlers that fit into this catego- ry, and I am sure the tokens being put forth will not affect their income. Downtown, a young man throws two boxes and two signs in front of him and rakes in hundreds of dollars in profit. One of his signs says “Boys,” another says “Girls,” and he asks, “Who is more generous?” Men and women laugh at his gimmick, and drop change and bills into the box that signifies their sex. This man’s income will not be changed by the new tokens because people don’t care what he’s spending the money on. He’s a clean-cut man with a clever business idea—I don’t even think he lives on the street. The other panhandler who I’m sure wont be affected by the tokens, sets up his sign on Commercial Drive. His sign reads, “Smile if you masturbate,” Cheng Wuding, and I am a minor official at the county government.” The chief liked Cheng Xiangong and kept him at his side. Soon, the chief promoted Cheng to zhubu (chief secretary). Once, Xiangong was talking with his colleague and a flock of sparrows were chirping. Xiangong began laughing. When asked why he laughed, Xiangong said, “A cart overturned in North Street and the rice is all over the place. The sparrows are telling each other to go there for the rice.” The colleagues did not believe it and sent someone to go check, and it was indeed as Cheng Xiangong had said. The rich and powerful people of the government all complained to the chief for promoting Cheng Xiangong, a person of lowly birth, into the government. The chief said, “You don't know the true reason.” A dozen days later, the chief invited Cheng Xiangong to live with him. At the beginning of the next year, the government celebrated the New Year and more than three hundred people gathered and held a party. They asked Xiangong to host a wager game. After one round, Xiangong suddenly contained a mouth of wine and spat it toward the southeast direction. Everyone was shocked and thought badly of him. Only the chief said, “There must be a reason for it.” He asked Xiangong what was the reason and Xiangong said, “Linwu County and he receives loads of cash just for praying on people’s nervous smiles when masturbation is brought up. The tokens that are being put for- ward will reduce the amount of drug and alcohol money that is given to most panhandlers, but I don’t think it will affect the people who proba- bly don’t even need to be on the street. It’s the far-too-young mothers who need cash for their babies’ med- ical attention, and those drug-users caught on fire and I was extinguish- ing the fire with the wine.” The guests all laughed and called it non- sense. On the next day, the etiquette official reported to the chief that Xiangong was rude at the celebra- tion party, and the chief sent some- one to Linwu County to investigate. In the end, Zhang Ji from Linwu County reported, “On New Year's Day, the county government was holding a celebration, and the gov- ernment hall suddenly caught fire around 3pm. The fire started from the northwest direction. It was sunny and no cloud was in the sky. The south wind blew and the fire spread quickly. Suddenly, dark clouds came from the northwest direction and went directly toward the county. When the clouds reached the county, great rain poured down and the fire was instantly put out. Strangely the rain smelled of wine.” People were great- ly shocked and they realized Cheng Xiangong was not an ordinary per- son. Later, the chief built a house for Cheng Xiangong at the west corner of the county. Cheng Xiangong moved in with his mother, brother and two children. Two years later, Xiangong asked for a leave for illness from the chief and went home to rest. Unexpectedly, he died four days later, and the chief held a funeral for him himself. Two days later, people had not yet who are so addicted to their sub- stance that food and shelter will not do them any good. The tokens also represent society's mistrust of pan- handlers and the lingering doubt that they’re really going to spend money wisely. I see the tokens as a symbol for Vancouver's scepticism towards the homeless community and the decision as being far from a solution to the problem. taken off their funeral clothes. Xiangong’s friend came to the coun- ty from Linwu City and met Xiangong on a mule walking toward the west. He asked Xiangong, “It’s almost dark, where are you going?” Xiangong said, “I’m going to Mixi and will come back soon. I forgot my sword at home before I left and I put my shoes on the chicken cage. When you pass by my home, please tell them to put them where they belong.” This friend came to Xiangong’s family but heard cries of sorrow, and he was greatly surprised, saying, “I was just talking with Xiangong at Wuchanggang and he said he was going to Mixi and will come back soon. He also told me to ask you to put away his sword and shoes, how can he die so quick?” His family said, “His sword and shoes were buried with him, how can they be outside?” Therefore, they went to the chief and asked him to decide. The chief decided to open the casket to check. In the casket, there was only a blue bamboo stick about 2.3m long, but Cheng Xiangong’s body was not there. They then realized that Cheng Xiangong had become a god. Later, people called Wuchanggang, the place where he passed on a mule, Luogang. Luogang is located ten miles west of the county.