I encountered my first post-Katrina panhandler today

[TUSooner]

I was walking out of my office to put some old newspapers in my car when he caught me. I gave him a dollar but I didn't listen to his story that had something to do with diabetes. I dunno, he looked pretty big and healthy to me. It was one of those unwelcomed signs of "normalcy" ... like the guy I saw this morning walking down the sidewalk yelling at somebody to "F" this and that and everything. Buhhhhh.

[1stTimeCaller]

WELCOME HOME TU!!!!!!!!!

[Hatfield]

a guy was walking down the street with a rake outside my house.

he offered to rake my yard for some cash to buy his baby some diapers (which i guess is code for crack).

I didn't need my yard raked, but also am sympathetic to the plight of hypothetical babies without diapers...so I give the dude all the ones I have...3 bucks.

So he does the noble thing and asks for the 10 he saw instead. I had to explain that his options were 3 or nothing.

some people.

[fadada1]

So he does the noble thing and asks for the 10 he saw instead. I had to explain that his options were 3 or nothing.

why do you hate $10 bills?

[TUSooner]

My favorite was a guy who hit me up outside St Patrick's church with a sob story about needing just a few more dollars so he could get a one-way bus ticket "home" to Memphis, or Chicago, or something. About a week later the same guy hit me up at the same place with the same story. I said, "I thought you went home last week!" He was speechless, and for a black person, he got curiously red.

[Penguin]

I was approached at the grocery store yesterday. I was loading my car with groceries when he asked for some money for a sandwich.


I said that I had no cash and I had to buy my groceries with my credit card. He then asked if I would use my credit card to buy him a sandwich. I said, "No."

[Sooner_Bob]

Until you've spent some time on the Navajo Reservation you have no idea how bad panhandling can be.

I literally hated going to the post office . . . and don't even get me started about going anywhere in Gallup, NM on a weekend.

[Czar Soonerov]

So Sooner Bob, ever been to Gallup, NM on a weekend?

[Dio]

Hey TU, I bet I know what street you got your shoes on

[bigdsooner]

i was at the mickey d's at admiral and memorial bout 8-9 years ago and three dudes walked up to me and asked me if i had any work for them to do, i said yeah, then they asked me if they could get paid now instead of upon completion... i said, look, i will pay you guys 7 bucks per hour and give you $10 for gas, they kept wanting me to pay them now. finally i said im not giving you any damn money til the works done...then they walked off

[mdklatt]

Atlanta has the best panhandlers ever.

[chriscappel]

i was down there doing volunteer work about a week after.....wearing Navy coveralls while WORKING down there doesnt keep em away!

[Ike]

some cities, like Cincinatti, and Atlanta (I think) outlaw panhandling without a license or permit.....that would be great comeback, "can I see your panhandling license?" If they could produce one, or even a piece of paper that looks like it might reasonably be one, that would be worth a couple bucks to me.

[LoyalFan]

Here in Beautiful San Antonio there's a new scam being perpetrated, on a Brobdignagian scale!

I was at a mall a few days ago, Wednesday, the 8th, in fact. I'd exited the grocer's and as I finished loading my meagre rations into my conveyance two gorgeous young ladies approached and began cleaning my windshield. Being a charitable sort I offered them a couple of bob but they begged me for a ride home instead of money.

Once in the car, however, one exposed her ample mammaries and began to smother me with kisses as the other unzipped my fly. Only after they'd left and I lay aswoon on the back seat did I realize my wallet was missing.

The same misfortune befell me on Thursday AND Friday! I looked for them on Saturday, but apparently they don't work weekends.


LoyalFan
Gullible Traveler

[TUSooner]

Here in Beautiful San Antonio there's a new scam being perpetrated, on a Brobdignagian scale!

I was at a mall a few days ago, Wednesday, the 8th, in fact. I'd exited the grocer's and as I finished loading my meagre rations into my conveyance two gorgeous young ladies approached and began cleaning my windshield. Being a charitable sort I offered them a couple of bob but they begged me for a ride home instead of money.

Once in the car, however, one exposed her ample mammaries and began to smother me with kisses as the other unzipped my fly. Only after they'd left and I lay aswoon on the back seat did I realize my wallet was missing.

The same misfortune befell me on Thursday AND Friday! I looked for them on Saturday, but apparently they don't work weekends.


LoyalFan
Gullible Traveler
You must have a lot of wallets.;)
But spek for using "Brobdingnagian" on the SO. :D

[GrapevineSooner]

A few days ago on the news (afterall, it's sweeps month), they profiled this guy who lives in The Colony with his mom but panhandles over in Allen on a regular basis.

He'll go out to intersections with his dog and easily pulls in anywhere from between 15 to 60 dollars...

...per hour.

[Sooner_Bob]

So Sooner Bob, ever been to Gallup, NM on a weekend?

That's a whole new thread right there . . . :texan:

[mdklatt]

some cities, like Cincinatti, and Atlanta (I think) outlaw panhandling without a license or permit

I know Seattle does this. Most of the panhandlers I saw there wear their permits on a chain around their neck. I wasn't shown any permits in Atlanta, but the panhandlers sure were as friendly and polite as everyone else in town.

[Pieces Hit]

Tulsa has a lot of very popular intersections with these guys.
I have often seen the same ones there for long stretches.
I guess the money is good.
I don't give them any which is sad because you don't know who really needs it anymore.

[Okieflyer]

The panhandler fax machines were down. That idea for a story just took a little while to get around.;)

[fadada1]

i know that some people are less priviledged than a lot of us. but a lot of times, it's all relative. by that, i mean that many of us work very hard to provide for ourselves or families - and we've done the things to give us that opportunity (college, military, etc...). i bust my hump working to pay the rent (because i like living indoors), make my car payments (becaus ei like driving to work), paying the electric bill (because i like being warm in winter), paying student loans (because school is important to me), etc......

my point, i almost literally live paycheck to paycheck, and have very little extra to spend on "fun things". why should i give MY money to someone who does nothing to better themselves.

NOW, i do give change out to folks on occasion. i'm making a point, so don't slam this point of view. i'm playing devil's advocate.

[Okieflyer]

why should i give MY money to someone who does nothing to better themselves.

NOW, i do give change out to folks on occasion. i'm making a point, so don't slam this point of view. i'm playing devil's advocate.

Never give them money. If you want to help, offer a job if you have one to offer or go buy a burger for them. They can't buy booze with a burger. At least I don't think.:confused: