Racists with outstretched hands

I was walking out of an Arby's restaurant today when I was accosted by a panhandler that started off with one of those "hey, can I talk to you a minute?" sales pitches that lets you know you look like an easy mark. This strategy never works with me. I resent being taken for a fool. Nevertheless, I dismissed him with a "no thanks". That's when I heard the muttered racial slur aimed at my little daughter and I. I wheeled around and grabbed the guy by his collar and demanded that he clarify what he had said. Unfortunately, he obliged. In white-hot anger I knocked the cigarette out of his mouth and whispered some unkind things in his ear. Then I remembered my daughter was with me and I backed off - not wanting to set a bad example for her and not wanting to be arrested. The guy was yelling for his buddies to help out. It was time to get in the car and go.

This is not the first time this scenario has happened in the last year. Panhandlers seem to be shooting off their mouths a lot lately - even when you politely brush them off. This really pisses me off, especially when my daughter is there to hear it - and I react badly. I'm glad I don't carry lethal weapons.

On top of all this the panhandler didn't even get our race right.