Austin, Texas – Sandy Shook is a homeless man who has lived this way for many years. He recently took part in a social experiment to gauge society’s response to petitions for spare change where Shook was dressed in a suit as he spoke on a cell phone versus making the same petitions for alms dressed in his homeless attire. The results were interesting if not outright unexpected.
To prepare for the experiment, Shook was taken to the barber shop to have his long white hair clean cut. He was then fitted with a suit from the Goodwill store. Once he was dressed in semi-formal attire, he was wired with a microphone. With a cell phone to his ear, he asks a male passerby for two bits to cover the cost of bus fare stating that he was short of some spare change.
One by one, members of the general public oblige him whether he states his need is bus fare for simply being a bit short for a Subway sandwich. One man even gave him a $5 bill when he asked for only 25c for a cup of coffee.
Well, it was expected that a man dressed in what is considered socially respectable clothing be afforded more courtesy than someone obviously homeless. It wasn’t until Shook asked a homeless man that he was surprised by the response. The man obliged his request for a quarter. Despite telling the man he actually didn’t need it, the man insisted. It was a touching display of the obvious humanity that exists among the homeless.