Brother---Can you Spare a Dollar?

I haven't posted anything here since the ECONOMIC COLLAPSE of September, 2008. Actually, the economy went south here in Las Vegas starting in May 2007, when the real estate market started to "tank" as the pundits like to say. The slide into "recession" here was pronounced and swift. Remember the old song from the depression of the 1930's? It was called "Brother--- can you spare a dime?" Well, now a days in Las Vegas people are actually panhandling for a dollar! That's right. Anything less is NOT good enough. That's what they ask for. It used to be "spare change." When I read about this in the newspaper I knew it would just be a matter of time before I would get solicited. And, of course I did. My response to the mendicant? It was simply, DO I LOOK LIKE A BANKER TO YOU? That usually ENDS the matter as I remove myself rapidly from the area. I think I would rather drop dead than approach people begging for paper money like some of the homeless-by-choice derelicts here.