Welcome aboard @Charles314
2 Likes
Donāt know much about heroin. But itās bad out here.
1 Like
In this case, instead of being on Code Yellow alertness, I would have gone instantly to Code Redā¦I have dealt with the almost same scenario and whether it was a potential set-up or not, I do believe in D.T.A. (Donāt Trust Anyone) and will āsize upā the risk factor (people standing/waiting very close to me or nearby, defensive stances, hands in pockets, talking on their cell phone but watching me or looking around, etc.) and will either completely avoid any āconversationā or turn around and re-enter my vehicle (and only if safe to do so) and will leave the premises. By coming close enough to engage in conversation or close enough to hand money, it puts yourself in a risky situation. Although I know how to fight hand-to-hand, and additionally, I always carry I simply donāt place myself or become a āplayerā in this type of situation (whether if they are really needing some help or if they are targeting me). I have completely ignored people trying to talk to me (but kept watching their every move) to saying I would call the police to help assist themā¦and the shady ones will usually abruptly end any contact, if LE is mentioned.
Sad to have to be this way, but better to be safe than sorry.
3 Likes
The last time I gave 2 bucks, the panhandler caught me off guard with a ācan you spare a hundred?ā The way he said it and look he gave just cracked my ass up.
āNo, but thatās definitely worth two.ā.
I havenāt given a dime out since - probably 30 years.
3 Likes
This reply is spot on! I could not have said it betterā¦ I am sorry, but the days of giving a hitchhiker a ride, or stopping when someone we do not know approaches is overā¦ I used to do that, but no moreā¦
3 Likes
Well, those days arenāt over everywhere. But I am glad to be conscious of more possible outcomes than I used to when assisting a stranger (or the strange neighbors). We still live in a society ā or we donāt.
2 Likes
This is an interesting moral and ethical question. Generally I preemptively dismiss panhandlers. But sometimes my inner guidance says this situation is different, and I give someone money. Is it possible that I am still being conned? Of course. But what is the worst thing that can happen? Iām short a little bit of money that I can afford and the other person may be genuinely in need. So Iāll keep trusting my inner guidance.
5 Likes
When I returned to my hometown after living abroad for 13 years, I wasnāt used to beggars asking for money. I was used to walking the streets at any time of the night even in big cities without any worries about assaults or threats that most people face in the U.S. I experienced a reverse culture shock upon returning and it took a lot of time for me to acclimate myself to my own culture. My first encounter was an Armenian gypsy with her disheveled child begging me for help at a Walmart parking lot in the next city over. I handed her some money but within minutes a new pick~up truck pulled up and the man almost forced the mother and child to get into the truck quickly. I later learned that Armenian gypsy men use their women in this way to collect money like welfare. That was 8 years ago, so I learned my lesson and stopped being nice especially these days. A few years ago, another Armenian gypsy woman with a sign begging for help stood near the entrance of a Sprouts. She pleasantly smiled and even seemed like she was waiting for someone. After shopping at Sprouts I went across the street to a CVS in my car and there she was again, smiling. Thereās no way she made it there walking in her condition in such a short amount of time. I knew right away that this group of people are not needy. They prefer to live off ādonationsā. That woman was being driven from one place to another, which is the mo of that group. I called the sheriff to report the woman but the deputy brushed it aside and told me theyāre used to dealing with Armenian gypsies. Beggars or homeless are pretty rare in my community. I havenāt seen any homeless like I did in the last few years.
2 Likes
You state āI fail to see where a firearm would enter into this equation because you allowed yourself to get close enough to hand this person $20.00.ā If you keep several hundred in your wallet (sometimes any amount can provoke people looking for a hand out) and she saw it when you gave her the $20.00, Her male counterpart just might be waiting for you when you were on your way out. I usually say sorry, the better half says I cant be trusted with cash and she only lets me have plastic so she can see what I get.
2 Likes
I have been following this thread with some interest and doing a little soul searching.
The word Jaded comes to mind. Being OCD I looked it up to be sure if the word was appropriate.
Definition of jaded
1 : fatigued by overwork : EXHAUSTEDa jaded horse
2 : made dull, apathetic, or cynical by experience or by having or seeing too much of something
I guess Iām #2. I asked myself why and a memory surfaced. For several years I rode a METRA (Transit Authority) train from Joliet to the LaSalle St. station five days a week. I watched an elderly woman frequently ( 3-5 days a week) panhandling at the station just south of āThe Loopā. One day I took a meritorious rest of the day off and rode an earlier train to Joliet.
I noticed my panhandling woman use her monthly ride pass to pay her fair. She exited the train at Midlothian, IL. A mid to upper level community south of Chicago.
My thought was āYou paid for a monthly pass to go panhandleā.
Somehow it rubbed me the wrong way!
3 Likes