Panhandled on Thanksgiving (Atlanta: to buy, homeless, bars)

[ATLTJL]

So I was panhandled downtown today by a guy who needed money to buy food.

I looked at the guy and said, "Come on, man, it's Thanksgiving. There is free food everywhere in this city today."

His response? "I don't want to wait in line."

Translation: They give free food, but not free crack.

[ja1myn]

Punch that guy in the face. I hate low lifes like that.

[berkeleylake]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

So I was panhandled downtown today by a guy who needed money to buy food.

I looked at the guy and said, "Come on, man, it's Thanksgiving. There is free food everywhere in this city today."

His response? "I don't want to wait in line."

Translation: They give free food, but not free crack.

As you have probably observed many times, the panhandlers are out more when it is warm

[ATLTJL]

He also said he wanted to earn the money, but refused my offer to come show him how to do my job and I'd give him a day's pay so I could go home.

Most of the rest of what he said it was extremely difficult to understand.

I'm not sure why I even engaged him in conversation. Every couple of years I decide to do it to see what the whole, "you never know what life lessons you could learn by talking to a homeless person" is about. So far all I haven't learned any lessons except your chances of scoring money are probably higher if you can form complete sentences.

[DaBurgh]

You should have told him you gave all the money you had to someone waiting in line

[Staysean23]

Is it me are u the only forumer on here that always has s story and everything happens to u lol

[ATLTJL]

The newest twist is I was watching the news tonight and saw that the Hosea Williams free dinner was held at the World Congress Center this year. I was literally asked for food money no more than 1000 feet away from the largest free food event in the city, probably the southeast.

You don't have to believe me that it happened. I had to endure the jabs of my co-worker who was with me at the time and made fun of me all day for even engaging the guy in conversation.

It's true that I seem to always attract freaks and weirdos. I used to tell stories about it during my single days when I would go out at night I always met the strangest characters. People wouldn't believe me until they came out with me and they would get to meet the same people I did. I must give off a vibe of liking people and caring about their problems more than I actually do....which is pretty much zero. However, I seem to have a sick desire to keep talking to these people wondering just how weird it's going to actually get. It never ceases to amaze me.

[Mishap]

For the most part these guys have serious drug or mental issues and while I hate to think of anyone starving for the most part they get by through either soup kitchens or digging through trash but beg for money to allow for their other vices. I've handed a guy I saw rummaging through garbage cans a couple granola bars and he immediately asked if I had any change.

I long ago stopped giving out money b/c so many of them tend to well fed and some even have on fairly nice shoes. I realize there's limited support for the homeless in Atlanta but most of these guys don't want to change anything and they don't want the help they're given for a reason.

[shivtim]

It's illegal to panhandle in downtown Atlanta. To report an illegal panhandler, call the Ambassador Force of Downtown Atlanta at (404) 215-9600.

[brownhornet]

This was threadworthy because...