Misplaced Sympathy?

All of us have witnessed the woeful folks standing on the roadside with homemade signs begging for help. The stories on this cardboard plea goes from veteran to homeless and some times even will work for food. It is not that I lack sympathy for those who are truly down and out but I always wonder if this might be from lack of effort or this is now their chosen line of work. If you happen to go by the same corner every day it's the same people unless you run into the well planned begging corporation which rotate it's members. There are some in our city who arrive by automobile from another town because they have found the "Pickings" better here. I will end with this, you must follow your heart but here's a true tale I often share. While working at the Big 12 Tournament in Dallas and staying in a posh hotel, I was utilizing the lobby restroom when a gentleman, obviously of some wealth and carrying a gym bag entered one of the stalls. A few minutes later I saw him leaving the lobby in tattered clothing and stepping out to a brand new Mercedes with a garment bag which he hung up and pulled out a cardboard sign. He looked over at me and pleasantly said "I'm headed to work" held up his sign trotting across the parking lot. Next day I saw him again and inquired "Is begging how you make your living?" he confirmed it and said he had the hottest corner in Dallas and pulled from $800 to $1200 a day depending what conventions or events were in town, then off he went. An hour later as we were headed to our venue there he was, as we pulled up he approached my window, seeing who I was he implored "Aren't you going to help an old friend?" We drove on. Have no doubt the needy do exist and we should help when possible, just make sure your money goes toward the right cause.