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I'm very suspicious, as panhandling has become an art. There was a well-dressed man who was from University of [someplace a few hours away] on a college trip and his bus left him. First time, I gave him a couple bucks; then, saw him often. Another couple used to drive around in a van with the passenger window broken (glass shards in the passenger seat), saying they were visiting and someone busted into their van and stole the wife's purse with all their cash - they need gas money to get home.
In the city, a good friend showed me a technique, where he offers to take them to the homeless shelter. I don't know what happens at shelters but it must be bad....beggars literally turn heel ASAP when you mention homeless shelters.
In Florida I used to get approached while loading groceries in my car, usually right before the grocery store/pharmacy closed, by a disheveled looking motherly sort with a 10-12 year old. The pitch was the usual sob story and she needed 30 dollars to get her kid’s prescription filled right away, couldn’t wait until morning or else the kid will get really sick. Not once has anyone taken me up on my offer to go in with them and pay for the prescription directly.
I don't give money to any kind of panhandlers. When I get panhandled, my liberal guilt kicks in and I go home and make a donation to Urban Ministries. :-D
But that's exactly my point - that this seems to be occurring a lot all over the place (it just happened to me in Greensboro too).
And the ruse is definitely meant to come across as anything but begging: Nice car, decent clothes. Hey, I look like you do. I'm not poor, I'm just having a bad morning. This coulda happened to you too, and maybe it has... I just need enough gas to get to work/home. I know folks don't carry cash these days. I don't either. Someone swiped my purse, which had my credit cards and phone in it. I don't know what to do. My tank is on E...
Had this happened to me on a gas station off I-95 in Florida and randomly over the years. That guy was driving a late model Cadillac.
When they approach me, I give them a millisecond to say something worthwhile before I reply "NOTHANKSSORRYGOODBYE"
About 20 years ago when I was in college, an innocent looking old guy came up to me and gave me a great sob story, so naively I gave him some money. Fortunately there were others around, and another guy came up to me and asked me if the guy had asked for money and told me he was a known scammer. Fortunately I got my money back, but after that moment I swore never to give another dime to any panhandler.
WHO CARES????? seriously. This PC culture is so freaking annoying.
I know lol. For stories that I make up on the internet for people shooting up everyone, kidnappers or child sex abusers - I choose white people to be the offenders in the story. Guess we should just all “get over it,” right?
I know lol. For stories that I make up on the internet for people shooting up everyone, kidnappers or child sex abusers - I choose white people to be the offenders in the story. Guess we should just all “get over it,” right?
Be careful not to mention if it was a man or a woman. That would be sexism.
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