Selling Pencils on Fifth Avenue
Selling Pencils On Fifth Avenue
Claire Piekarski
The average American will walk down a street, head tucked down, eyes straight ahead, feet moving quickly, without giving their surroundings a second glance. A few may stop to tie a shoe or buy a paper. And an even fewer number will notice those who walk beside them whether they be white, black, crippled, or of good-health. Not to say this can be applied to all Americans, there are some that are very generous and try to do good in their community. However, living in a world as fast- paced as ours is today it is becoming increasingly more difficult to take time out for the less fortunate. As years pass we come up with more and more excuses for why we cannot be out there helping others who need it. It's a very sad fact but unfortunately it's the truth. In the famous picture, "Selling Pencils on Fifth Avenue" a blind man stands in the middle of a crowded street holding a sign that indicates that he is disabled and would like you to buy a pencil to help him out. In this picture there are many people that breeze by without even noticing the blind man. All of these people are probably on their way to work and in too much of a "rush" to help the blind man. That's the problem with Americans, we're always in a rush to get somewhere. That's our excuse for a lot of things. We're always on the go, doing something far more important than donating to the less fortunate. If everyone in this country could take five minutes out of their busy day everyday to do something good for their community the world would be a much better place. But, this is almost impossible to conceive when we live in our fast-paced country. There is one woman in the photograph who does take the time to put some change in the man's cup. However, examine her body language. She is not smiling let alone looking at the man. She must feel some sort of sympathy for the man but she obviously views him as nothing more than a cripple. She may feel as if she is
Claire Piekarski
The average American will walk down a street, head tucked down, eyes straight ahead, feet moving quickly, without giving their surroundings a second glance. A few may stop to tie a shoe or buy a paper. And an even fewer number will notice those who walk beside them whether they be white, black, crippled, or of good-health. Not to say this can be applied to all Americans, there are some that are very generous and try to do good in their community. However, living in a world as fast- paced as ours is today it is becoming increasingly more difficult to take time out for the less fortunate. As years pass we come up with more and more excuses for why we cannot be out there helping others who need it. It's a very sad fact but unfortunately it's the truth. In the famous picture, "Selling Pencils on Fifth Avenue" a blind man stands in the middle of a crowded street holding a sign that indicates that he is disabled and would like you to buy a pencil to help him out. In this picture there are many people that breeze by without even noticing the blind man. All of these people are probably on their way to work and in too much of a "rush" to help the blind man. That's the problem with Americans, we're always in a rush to get somewhere. That's our excuse for a lot of things. We're always on the go, doing something far more important than donating to the less fortunate. If everyone in this country could take five minutes out of their busy day everyday to do something good for their community the world would be a much better place. But, this is almost impossible to conceive when we live in our fast-paced country. There is one woman in the photograph who does take the time to put some change in the man's cup. However, examine her body language. She is not smiling let alone looking at the man. She must feel some sort of sympathy for the man but she obviously views him as nothing more than a cripple. She may feel as if she is