Metro Strangers

On the train down to the Amalfi Coast there were a series of homeless who we encountered. One such was a woman who was walking up and down our metro and breastfeeding her child. Generally this is an accepted practice, however this woman also had one free hand and was holding a cup in it, walking up to every single person soliciting for money. This was one of the more disturbing experiences I have had with the beggars of Italy. Throughout my first two weeks in Rome having been exposed to their lifestyle, I now have some compassion for beggars as I often don't in America. When I first arrived I did not want to give money to any of the homeless, however now I will under certain circumstances give money to a beggar. This was not one of those cases because I felt that the feeding in public was a ploy and a play on people's emotions.