Toronto

I was sitting in the back of a cab surrounded by giantic IKEA bags and a backpack full of shopping from the Eaton Centre....I was thinking what a good day of shopping I had in Toronto. I was able to find my way to all the shops I wanted downtown and even took the subway (with a transfer) to go to North York IKEA without getting lost there and back. I had way too many bags when I got off the subway...so that is how I ended up in the back of the cab....taking it only 6 blocks to the university....when it happened. My little daydream bubble was burst when a homeless lady opened the door to the cab and started screaming at me and begging for money. The cabbie kept yelling for me to close the door but she would not move! She didn't like that I was trying to close the door on her either! She was right in my face, yelling, begging, crying, grabbing at my arm....very scary! I have not had such an forceful encounter with a homeless person. I would have given her some money if I had some in my pocket, but I figured if I went digging for my wallet in my backpack she would probably steal it. Cars behind us in the intersection where honking at us/her and she kept right at it. Finally the cabbie passed back a few dimes and I gave them to her.
The cabbie said that she begs on that corner all the time, but he has never seen her open the door to a car before. Lesson learned: Always lock the car doors!