2014-07-08 – I’ve never understood the guys who beg from cars at busy intersections. It seems like it would be dangerous—and not very lucrative. I’m probably wrong on both counts. Oh, maybe it’s dangerous, but it must be lucrative. The charity folks stand at the same corners.

The other day, I was coming to a stop at one of these intersections. The guy had a sign that said, “Help me! Lost my job!” I asked my wife, Kit if I should roll down the window and tell the guy that I lost my job, too. She told me that I better not. I said that I would write about it instead.

It has always fascinated me to see people who share a similar circumstance have such different fates.

I’m going to make it through my period of unemployment. I’ve got freelancing work in the meantime. I could end up better off. The guy with the sign probably won’t. At least not for a while.

I’m especially interested in people who have lots of things in common. I know some brothers, close in age, brilliant, similar outlook on life. Similar craziness, even. One is a big shot. One is one step from being homeless. How come?

The successful ones always like to think that it is something that they did. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s luck. Most of the time it is luck. A lucky success sets you up for life. An unlucky failure sets you on a downward spiral.

You don’t know what the difference is.