and you're the sucker that's born every minute. you don't know crap about us or what we've faced and who we are. save your selfrighteous "nose in the air" crap for someone who cares what you think. you think i'm dumb as dirt? try me. you'll lose this one, guaranteed.
I had a friendship with an older woman who was a homeless heroin addict in Washington DC. Didn't know she was an addict when I met her, only that she was begging for money in the train station. I met her every morning for months after I got off the train on the way to work. Bought her breakfast and talked to her and gave her money because I believed she was using it for something productive. She finally confessed to using heroin. I totally enabled her and was really naive and let myself get taken advantage of when I really should have known better. Now I pass along information about the local programs for the homeless in the area instead of giving them money.
Never feel as though you made a fool of yourself. You did what you felt was right in your own heart. She is the one who will ultimately answer for using you to feed her habit.
Michelle, I must say the two have distinctly different writing styles. db says stuff like legit and dude. Sounds just like one would picture him. :lol: He also writes in lower case and most often Mrs. db does not. Your opinion is yours just thought I'd help with the him/her stuff. Sherry
I think there is a differnece in being aware and being neive. just saying, I am sure we have all been takin in by a scammer but I will take my chances on helping someone that needs it. They have to answer for their lies not me
There are no witnesses at the trial of your life. We will each be judged by our conscious, our character and our conduct. that's just my 2 cents.
a little out a season but the content of the story is fitting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4wTZx6pm10&feature=related
Been there done that. I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt and put some gas in his car. He seemed so sincere. Saw him pulling the same trick same station the following week. DB's wife
Totally agree here. You have to go with what you feel in your heart is right. I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I have been burned several times but at least I did what I thought was a help. DB's wife
Years ago when we were in our early 20s DB and I went to NYC with a friend. We went on a whim with very little money in our pockets. The first morning we decided to go for a walk. We had only been walking maybe three minutes when the first beggar hit us up. His story was good. "Man to man, I need to feed my kids can I have a few bucks." You could tell he hit a cord with both men I was with and they dug in to their pockets to help. After he walked by I told them that if they gave to everyone that asked they would be the ones begging on the way back to the hotel because they would be out of money. (I say they were men but really just boys.) As we walked further the amount of beggars increased. We walked by an area where they were sitting lined up on the sidewalk. Many had signs and seemed to try to out do others with their outlandish tales. One guy had a rabbit in a cage with a sign asking for money for his rabbit to have brain surgery! No real point to the story. Just amusing and thought I would share. DB's wife
I NEVER forget that I am often only a few paychecks from being homeless. Don't assume you know anything about us from a few lines of remarks on a forum. That's too bad you feel that way because this man would give you the shirt off his back. DB's wife
When I lived elsewhere, I acquired a rather scary stalker by being nice to someone who was homeless. Had me looking over my shoulder for years, and even now I still occasionally look around. Yes, there are those that life has just broken down. They may see no other way out but to live off of handouts. They each have their stories to tell, and usually have lived quite interesting lives. Then there are the multitudes who take advantage of others' generosity and kindness for whatever reason they feel is justifiable. Still ... if I have it to give, I'll give it. I'll still care. Eyes open - it's THEIR choice to put my offering to good use or not ... but at least I will have tried, and I will have cared.