Dear Eric: Yesterday I was riding my bicycle to the Newport Beach City Hall to get a new parking pass for my car. I was standing next to my bicycle by the entrance when an earnest, polite young lady came up to me and engaged me in a conversation.

She asked me if I was homeless and needed a referral to a shelter. I’m a retired 72-year-old lawyer living on Balboa Island, riding a $5,000 bicycle in my cycle clothes.

What’s an appropriate response? Should I get angry? Should I question her motives? Should I be supportive to her? Should I dress better?

– Puzzled Cyclist

Dear Cyclist: An appropriate response in this case would be “are you affiliated with an organization that helps people experiencing homelessness? Because I have the means to contribute, and I’d like to be of service to my community.”

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Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.