Homeless guy offered me money

[HemiBenny]

I'm blessed in so many ways.

I don't create another person's story in my head since I haven't walked a mile in their shoes. I'm not saying you are, but I know people who do. A lot of people who are truly struggling, yet are trying to change are lumped in with the users and abusers who have no desire to change.

There's something about him asking for nothing more than a donut. He only added to the order at your suggestion, and even then it was the cheapest coffee you could get,...black. It also speaks volumes that he offered what change he had to you. He could have made your bill considerably higher.

You're a good person for offering him anything he wanted with no expected reward. Sometimes, the reward is knowing that you're just a decent human.

Hopefully, he is doing better.

 

[TimeFlies]

OP you're a good man.

Sometimes it is good to be kind to strangers, just because we can.

Last winter I was filling up my pickup with gas, and a young girl pulls in driving the roughest car I've seen in a while. She is counting change, but i don't think much about it at first. Then she goes inside and comes back out, and pumps $4.60 in gas into her car. So i talked to her, and commented that it wouldn't get her far. Well that was all she had, so all she could buy. I said wait a minute, don't drive off. I finished filling my pickup up, then went over and tapped my card on the pump she was at, and told her to fill up her car. She said no, because she cannot repay me. I said well I don't expect you to. I had to actually put the nozzle into her car and pump it, because she wouldn't. As i filled her car, she cried, and thanked me numerous times, and when done filling it, she hugged me.
That almost made me feel guilty to be honest. I was trying to help her out, but how gracious she was, thankful, and hugged me, I think that I got the better part of the deal.

 

[Spro4Life]

I was approached by a lady at a local store. She asked for $5.00 so she could get a quart of oil! (I'm serious)
I said "I'll go buy you the oil, what kind to you want?"
She said, No Thanks, and walked back to her car.

Do I have BITOG written on my back?

Nothing against anyone asking for a few dollars, but I will honestly say that the time/energy invested by some locals/regulars in the same spot daily for months-years could clearly be put toward some type of productive job. Guess that's too involved though. Next time I'm approached and asked for a few dollars I am gonna ask them if they have change for a $100 just to see the reaction.

 

[thastinger]

LOL I was sitting outside a store with our dogs in our CBD while my wife shopped. A lady thought I was homeless and tried to give me a sandwich. I was in jeans and my Milwaukee heated jacket and I actually had my Milwaukee heated gloves. About $400 in heated gear. I know many people can't recognize that but it adds to the irony!

She most likely noticed that you overpaid for the Milwaukee brand and were thus broke by now.

 

[53' Stude]

You did someone a solid.
That they tried to give you what little they had in recompense was also very honorable on their part.

Last Friday after work I filled up the Dakota with gas. Older rough looking guy asked me if I had money for few gallons of gas. I paid to fill it for him. Sunday morning at the Route 68 feed mill he was there having coffee. He bought the girlfriend and my breakfast. I was shocked. I thanked him by the way. He said “I’d do the same for you friend!”

 

[97prizm]

I'm in the city and want to go to a local bakery to get an apple turnover. I stay away from pastries usually but this one bakery is particularly good at it. The problem is it's in a really bad part of town with homeless (druggies) nearby. The druggies and poor locals come in occasionally to buy a single cookie or donut with some change.

I'm standing in line and a young man walks in, sores on his face, scabs, with a handful of change.

I tell him: "hey buddy, get whatever you want, I got you covered".

young man: "Thanks sir" He says to the lady "I'll have a donut"

me: "get more if you want, I got you covered"

young man: "I'll have a coffee too, black"

(bakery lady is preparing getting the donut and coffee)

me: "be careful out there, I hear there is fentanyl in the drugs"

young man: "yeah it's rough, you gotta watch out"

(he gets his coffee and donut)

young man: "thanks, I appreciate it, here you go" (offers the change in his hands)

Me: "no that's okay, keep it"

He leaves, I get my turnover, and I'm on my way. I feel bad that he most likely used the money to buy drugs. Hopefully he is doing better somehow.

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. The dealership manager at a Lexus dealership that I worked said when he sold cars at a Toyota dealership back in the day a lady pulled up in torn overalls and a Dodge caravan that was dented everywhere. He took her for a test drive. Unbeknownst to him she was a massage therapist in Vail and had more than the adequate funds.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

(he gets his coffee and donut)

young man: "thanks, I appreciate it, here you go" (offers the change in his hands)

Me: "no that's okay, keep it"

He leaves, I get my turnover, and I'm on my way. I feel bad that he most likely used the money to buy drugs. Hopefully he is doing better somehow.

I've run into these guys and one time I reached into my pocket to give him $5 when suddenly his front pocket I-Phone begins ringing and he needed to remove a full pack of cigarettes first, in order to retrieve the call.

 

[Pew]

I've run into these guys and one time I reached into my pocket to give him $5 when suddenly his front pocket I-Phone begins ringing and he needed to remove a full pack of cigarettes first, in order to retrieve the call.

All the time in Chicago. I see the same beggar for 8 years I've worked in DT Chicago and as I'm walking past, he pulls out a phone newer than mine :/.

 

[97prizm]

I've run into these guys and one time I reached into my pocket to give him $5 when suddenly his front pocket I-Phone begins ringing and he needed to remove a full pack of cigarettes first, in order to retrieve the call.

The one that irked me was a guy at a local grocery store had a sign that read "homeless anything to help". I caught him getting out of his bmw he parked at the end of the lot. I got my cell phone out and started recording telling him I'd post him the location and his vehicle on YouTube. He immediately got back into his bmw and never came back.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. The dealership manager at a Lexus dealership that I worked said when he sold cars at a Toyota dealership back in the day a lady pulled up in torn overalls and a Dodge caravan that was dented everywhere. He took her for a test drive. Unbeknownst to him she was a massage therapist in Vail and had more than the adequate funds.

Waiting for the deviant turn and ask how the she was on the test drive and did he wind up with her?

Good to help people, part of why I volunteer in FD.

I was travelling once and 2 younger guys coming from skiing doing the how many coins in car thing search. I heard them talking because they couldn't find their wallets. I asked if they needed help and they said they think the wallets got stolen. They offered a case of beer they had for some cash to get fuel. I said I've been there, keep the beer, enjoy it later, pay it forward to someone else when you can. I filled them up and we went separate ways.

Others - guy comes up while at pump, just needs a couple $$ to get fuel get to hospital. I'm tell him I said no the last 3 times you asked me in the last month at this same place. I did offer to call PD or ambulance if he really needs to get there and is ill. He starts cursing me and walks away.

 

[E150GT]

I got hit up for gas at the gas station by dudes driving an escalade. I said pull up to the pump and I'll put some gas in. They said oh we have a full tank. We just need money to get back from where we're going. I said no thanks.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

All the time in Chicago. I see the same beggar for 8 years I've worked in DT Chicago and as I'm walking past, he pulls out a phone newer than mine :/.

Free Gov't handouts!

 

[Pew]

Free Gov't handouts!

I don't mind people that actually need help (we did when parents divorced) but system abusers can disappear. There's a lady that walks up and down State St, wailing/crying/begging about how hungry she is....then pulls out a spanking new Samsung Galaxy.

 

[97prizm]

I don't mind people that actually need help (we did when parents divorced) but system abusers can disappear. There's a lady that walks up and down State St, wailing/crying/begging about how hungry she is....then pulls out a spanking new Samsung Galaxy.

It's even worse. In 2021 I worked for a grocery store and worked for their drive up order where they picked up groceries. A customer had a food stamps card. She was driving a used Mercedes cuv and had a brand new Samsung Galaxy phone.

 

[jeepman3071]

I worked for a company that supported school district IT for various districts around the state during the pandemic. Some of the schools had programs that would provide laptops to families claiming to be unable to purchase a device for their kid. The parents would pick up the devices in the school parking lot, and I don't think I saw one vehicle that was not a newer luxury brand.

 

[Pew]

It's even worse. In 2021 I worked for a grocery store and worked for their drive up order where they picked up groceries. A customer had a food stamps card. She was driving a used Mercedes cuv and had a brand new Samsung Galaxy phone.

Yea! We had a guy like that come into Baker's Square around 2012 and wanted to use EBT/snap to buy a pie. He was driving a new Pilot and had a new-at-the-time Bluetooth earpiece.

Flip side, in highschool I volunteered at the same food pantry we went too. Most people seemed like they needed help and were very thankful too.

 

[D1dad]

Nevermind

 

[Mekks]

Had a guy with a dog ask me for money in a Walmart parking lot. I normally never have cash and even if I did I would say no. Happened to have $6 on me. I gave it to him and told him to get his dog some food. I figured he would go blow it on drugs or booze.

By the time we got loaded up and driving off he was coming out of Walmart with some dog food. I felt good that day.

 

[JHZR2]

Also had the same thing happen to me on a trip to NYC around Christmas. I was across the street from Macys and a homeless guy asked for money because he’s hungry. Well he was standing right next to a restaurant, some budget steak joint IIRC, and I offered to buy him a dinner. He actually got mad and said “what do I need a steak for?”. I walked away lol but this guy said he was hungry!!

I usually offer the same. It’s surprising how many folks do take up the offer.