Panhandlers are doing fine!

With a million things on my plate, I took a ride around Orlando to deliver some festival materials and make a few purchases. At one of the off ramps to I-4, I saw a Panhandler begging for money. I thought to myself. "in this economy it's got to be really tough." I pulled over and went to my wallet and asked him "is the economy hurting?" "Are people stiffing you and saying they're broke?" His answer was "It's about the same, man, the cheap ones are always the cheap ones, but I make about the same." I gave him a dollar (hey, didn't want to be considered a 'cheap one') and decided to perform a survey. Four out of five Panhandlers said, 'things were about the same as they've been.' The one that said things were worse, was a little less approachable than the others. I believe bad smelling and ugly looking panhandlers make less than the clean but downtrodden ones.

I did ask two of the panhandlers if they were interested in financing my next movie but they only laughed. Apparently, they've heard about back end deals. Armed with my own survey that the economy isn't as bad as everyone is making it, I continued with my errands. I went to Kinko's (My office away from my office) in Orlando. I went in to purchase two signs. They are called 'Sandwich boards' and are placed outside as an advertising tool. We need two for the film festival. Now remember, I'm not going in to look, or to beg for a handout. I went in to buy two at a quoted price of $40.00. I had stopped in the other day and received the quote from the assistant manager. I said "I would be back" because I had to get the expense approved. I now came back and the manager was off. I was now left with the only person working this side of the Kinko's Sign Shop and he had no idea what the price was and looked for a catalogue. I pointed to the sign in the lobby, which was the same sign the assistant manager showed me last week ($40). He quoted the price from the book as $52.00. I told him what the manager quoted and he left me to go in the back for something (perhaps another book). When he returns, a few minutes later (I figured with the signs), he told me those were bigger. "The more expensive ones?" ....I asked. "No, the smaller ones," was his reply. This made no sense at all. The lack of confidence in his voice gave me the impression he really didn't know the product he was hired to sell. He told me the assistant manager would be back tomorrow at 10:00 am and I should come back. There were no other customers in the store and he let me walk out without purchasing anything!!!! There are two other sign shops on the same street!!!! It's not the economy at all. It's corporate American hiring people for less money that know less, instead of keeping the experienced people that would NEVER let me walk out without buying something I came in to buy.

I went back to the first Panhandlers I spoke with and told him there may be an opening at Kinko's. At least he took the money as he answered my questions! God! If he only could raise money for a film!

......and cut!!