Sunday, December 5, 2010

Panhandling by the Side of the Road: "It's Too Embarrassing"


Teresa Connors sits in a single-wide trailer at a (Northern Indiana) mobile home park, worrying. Sparsely furnished with a secondhand sofa, a coffee table from her mother and a decade-old television, she calls it home.

She has no work income, and two daughters, ages 2 and 4.

Steven Connors, her husband, is in the county jail, still waiting placement in a state prison where he'll remain, even with good behavior, until at least 2017.

A year ago, Teresa could be found standing at the corner of Brick and Gumwood roads, holding a sign that begged passing drivers for money. Sometimes her daughter, then 3, would join her. Steven, with his own sign, would beg nearby.

But now, she said, no level of desperation will move her to hold that sign again and feel the stares of passing drivers.

"It's too embarrassing," Teresa said.

www.southbendtribune.com/article/20101205/News01/12050310/-1/XML

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