It looks like the "homeless" people have thinned out up at 40/42. I still see the one older man with the grocery cart though. Does anyone know his story? Is he truly homeless? Ive seen him sitting in McDonalds late at night when Im coming home from work. Just curious.
I did see the guy with the amputated leg last week. Still wearing shorts. He was in front of Moe's Marathon.
The guy with the cart is a nut job. My husband tried to talk to him one day and he was off his rocker. I get so aggravated with the "homeless" and the people who walk right out in traffic to collect money for some "charity" that nobody has ever heard of. I don't mind helping someone who is truly down on their luck but I usually know a scam when I see one.
To be quite honest. I feel most of them out there are fakers and just to damn lazy to get a real job. But of the truly homeless most of them have mental illness that is not being served. And saying this man or any of them are 'off their rocker' is not fair to them. I would come across a lot of them while I lived in New Jersey and worked and would go into NYC. I end up sitting with a bunch of them over at the hospital. The ones who are truly homeless need our help
The guy with the grocery cart is a little off. I gave him some money once. I see him sleeping under the trees in front of Lowe's when it's pretty outside. The guy with one leg, ehhhh, He used to be at the 401/1010 intersection daily, so I am not so sure that I believe he's homeless. The guy that stays over by Walmart, with the wife that holds the little dog...last I knew, they were truly homeless, although he will work if you offer him work. He does day labor a few days a week, they used to live in the woods across from WalMart before they cleared it. I don't know where they live now. I think she has some sort of condition that keeps her from working? But he's always thankful for a cold/hot drink or some food that is easy to keep and doesn't have to be refrigerated.
The guy with one leg hangs out at I40/210 now. Been there a while (if it is the same guy). I have been thinking about stopping and asking him what his story is; not to be mean but just to find out about him.
A great way to help the Homeless .... .... support Church In The Woods, a local outreach ministry that's been around for awhile. Alice McGee is a Living Saint, in my book!!! She'd love to come speak at your church or group!! Give her a call and consider financially supporting this ministry and give your time and talents, too! http://churchinthewoods.net/
The guy with the amputated leg is not homeless. He goes between 210 and 42 everyday. He was in an ATV accident a long time ago.
That makes it that much more sad, in my opinion. Mental health services get nothing, and to expect someone who is seriously mentally ill to just pull themselves up by their boot straps when they clearly are unable is ridiculous. (Not that you said that, but that's often the public opinion).
:iagree: I work out at Wake and I know a lot of these patients end up at wake, duke and rex until a bed can be found at Holly Hill, Butner or elsewhere. There is a short supply of mental health space. I knew of one patient that had to go out to the western part of the state and another to rocky mount. I would love to take every person who needs mental health help and have them stay with our legislators so they can see first hand. ps I saw the one legged guy back in front of the Moe's Marathon the other day
The guy with the fake leg is NOT homeless. He had a car that he parks close by where he is begging. Tuesday he was at 70 and Shotwell.
Does that fact that he has a car mean he also has a home to drive it to? He may still be homeless and living out of his car. Technically this can be considered shelter, especially to other who do not even have that. Homeless does not always mean 'living under a bridge with a needle sticking out of your arm'. There is a fine line between the skepticism some display here and compassion.
That guy lives in a big house and drives a fancy car. He is NOT homeless. He didn't lose his leg in the military like he claims. He lost it in a motorcycle accident.
Well then, you find him and give him your paycheck Mr Railroad. You're going to be a prick your whole life aren't you Harvey.
Okay, I wasn't sure if someone actually took the time out of their busy day to follow him home and then make sure he actually owns it as well. I am glad someone did this.
There was a report I saw on TV about a "homeless" guy in north Raleigh a couple months back. He was at the Wake Forest exit on 440 a lot over 3-4 months and he certainly looked the part of homeless. They sent an undercover reporter to follow him. At the end of the day, he would walk about a mile down the road to a shopping center, while walking back they caught him talking on his smartphone. Later they spotted him getting in a newer 5-series BMW and then they followed the car. He drove to a house in an upscale neighborhood off Creedmoor. I think they said the house was worth about $450k. When they confronted the man, he told them to leave the property or he would call the police. It tuned out the man was married and had 2 kids. His wife worked for some big company in RTP and he was making about $60-70k a year tax free from just begging a few hours a day as his primary job on busy corners in Raleigh and Durham.
I don't doubt this happens, or that it happens a lot. However, these stories seem to reach urban myth status sometimes. It's like everyone knew a kid, who went to school with a kid whose cousin's head exploded when they ate pop-rocks and Dr. Pepper, but nobody knows him personally. It is the same with these homeless stories. I am also skeptical of beggars and I do not give them money, but it is not because of the off chance that I believe someone who heard something onetime. Now, a news report is different and I have seen some myself. However, on some level I think this sort of TV/reporting/urban myth exposure does a whole new level of disservice (beyond the actual perpetrator) to those truly down on their luck. And that is a shame.
My favorite lately are the 3 or 4 different women around the 40/42 area, each one has a sign that says something to the extent of "Single mother of 2, anything helps". If they really were a single mother of 2 that was poor, where are the two kids? And why are there 3 or 4 different women in the area with almost the exact same sign?
