Speaking to the Homeless

Especially useful for those of you who live in cities: Ever Wonder What To Say to a Homeless Person? It suggests five things to say and five not to say. The first list is especially useful and suggests some things most people won’t have thought of. Number two, for example:

“Did you catch the game?”

Athletic events are often shown on televisions in shelters. “Talking about sports can be one of the most interesting, neutralizing things,” says Robert Marbut, a homeless advocate in San Antonio, Texas. So while the game you’re referencing depends, of course, on your locale, bringing it up is like talking about the weather — sports is a topic of conversation that you don’t have to be of a certain class to experience.

Which reminds me: When I was working freelance jobs in various Boston universities and businesses, I tried to watch at least five minutes of any game. In one part-time but long term job, I got to know one of the janitors, who no one ever spoke to though he was a really nice guy. All I had to do was say “Did you see that great shot by” or “Amazing touchdown pass” and we’d have a lively conversation.

I’m not fond of talking to strangers on the street and when we lived in Manhattan did not do a good job of talking to the homeless, and wish I’d had these lines. I knew enough not to say any of the five things you shouldn’t say, but what to say positively was harder.