I'll preface this by saying; I have mixed feelings about giving change to panhandlers, generally. If I'm in a really good mood, and they ask very kindly and without expectation or entitlement, I have a hard time saying no. Particularly if it's a woman or a very young or very old person because the added vulnerability stirs up a desire to reach out and help. And I know they probably aren't buying food or clothes, and giving them a buck or two isn't helping them. But ignoring them isn't helping either, and maybe the kindness of a stranger is a nice change from being ignored and marginalized and considered vermin by the city.
So, as I was waiting for a bus, a very mild mannered woman asked if I happened to have any change. She said it in a very non-demanding way and I gave her a few dollars and wished her a good evening. She thanked me graciously and you could tell she was genuinely appreciative.
A short time later, a fat piece of shit walked up and also asked for money.
"Do you have any change for food?"
First of all, I doubt you're buying food, and second, even if you were, YOU DONT NEED IT. Fatties asking for food money is like some rich Wall Street guy asking people for change. Clearly you have plenty, you greedy fuck.
Then he tries the lady sitting next to me on the bench.
"You have any change do I can buy some food?"
The lady seemed a bit unsure and was sort of reaching for her bag.
"Five dollars." The fatty said. Holy fuck you entitled golem, beggars can't be choosers you don't get to withdraw however much you want from a person as if their wallet is your personal atm!
"I don't have five dollars..." The lady said.
"Change, then." He said it as though he were a teacher telling a student to hand in whatever homework they'd partially completed.
The lady was uncomfortable you could tell, and handed him a few coins, I'm not sure how much.
"Got two dollars?" The fatty asked, still so entitled! She just gave you what she was willing to give and you ask her for more??
The lady declined and the fatty stomped off, not even thanking her, and proceeded to harass every other person at the bus stop.
Rude and entitled. I would have stood up for the lady and told the fatty to fuck off but the lady was just about as fat as he was so I figured being made uncomfortable by a fat was karma for her fat making other people uncomfortable on a daily basis.
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[–] GOMAD_OR_GFYAD 1 point 3 points 4 points (+4|-1) ago (edited ago)
I have never given money to a panhandler. They are rarely "marginalized by society" and are mostly just consciousless people who panhandle because it's an easy scam to make a few bucks. They dirty themselves up, look pathetic, and trade in their dignity to beg because the hourly pay is many times what they would earn at an honest job, and it's tax-free!
The fat panhandler was probably way more likely to be a legit homeless person. An alcoholic who begs to make the shakes go away in the morning, maybe keep a slight buzz on all day, eat a couple meals of cheap fast food, and a drink himself into oblivion at night can easily consume 4000+ calories a day with that lifestyle. $5 is a meal or a pint of liquor, and $2 is a 40 of malt liquor or cheap beer.
I dont want to support either lifestyle, so I never give money to panhandlers.
[–] NotYourDoctor 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Exactly. I see several homeless in my city collecting cans and such to recycle for money, and a few even have jobs. Panhandlers are not necessarily homeless, but are almost always scammers, addicts, or both. The ones begging for food have in almost all cases sold off their food stamps (and yes, you can get food stamps without an address. You can pick them up at the post office or the benefits office). Honestly I have far more respect for prostitute junkies than panhandlers, because at least the prostitutes are doing something to earn money instead of bothering people until they get a handout.