B is for Compassion Fail

This morning i went to buy bus tickets.

I had an extra $6 sleeping snugly in my shirt pocket.

There was a man, a scruffy, dirty looking man hovering round the ticket booth.

Most ignored him; one dude pretty much shoo'd him off

I looked at this dude - he was shaking a little and he was gulping slightly.

You have to LOOK at this man to know that he really was not having the best morning

What with being homeless and all....

I kept feeling like i wanted to give him the $6

LIKE THAT COULD DO SOMETHING. 

I didn't of course. I bought my tickets, moved on.

And though i didn't think it, it dawns on me, "it's so easy to say 'he probably going an but drugs'"

But see i know that look

I've been hungry

And while i've never been destitute as he was

I've been... hungry

And what i felt was compassion

And then as i walked away - ANGER

Pure. Unbridled. Anger. and i shouted [or else spoke very loudly]:

COMPASSION DOES NOTHING!

Compassion does... nothing! Empathy is ass. When you have no power to back it up, what's the use of compassion? So many situations call for compassion and for what? Does Compassion move the Divine Hand to action. Will my compassion cause that man to be fed? My spare $6 could have gotten him a pie at best, maybe a coffee - but i figure he may have to trade one for the other. And honestly, i wonder how many times has anyone looked into me - past me even - and said "i see the problem, i can fix it". If you don't ask, you don't get. Expel [give off] compassion at the expense of repatriation. It may be good for needed human intercourse, but is it needed?