"jariten1781" (jariten1781)
11/22/2016 at 18:32 • Filed to: None
2
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"jariten1781" (jariten1781)
11/22/2016 at 18:32 • Filed to: None | 2
| 15 |
What’s up with them this month? I usually get one or two a year, but so far I’m at 4 since 1NOV.
The perps:
1) My husband is in the army and I need gas/money so I can get to the hospital where he’s having emergency surgery, my daughter is in the car and is scared we’re not going to make it (40ish year old deshelved white lady in a banged up Mazda MPV)
2) My family made a trip from New Orleans to Baltimore for work but when we got there the job wasn’t there. We’re just trying to get back home and my daughter and husband are sick (Low 30s Hispanic lady who was super tiny in a Cevy conversion van...husband walked to the car with two Fiji waters and a bunch of red bulls while I was still gassing up)
3) EXACT same story as #1...seriously (twig of a girl...looked to be 18 at best, driving a newish Cruze)
4) I have to get my daughter to her grandparents so I can visit my sister who has end stage cancer and I have no gas or food...we haven’t eaten in a while (35ish Indian lady...was holding her 8ish year old daughter’s hand...no car at the pumps)
Have y’all seen an uptick in this or am I just a panhandler magnet this month?
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 18:36 |
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I had one a little over a week ago. Very well might be an uptick going on.
ranwhenparked
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 18:41 |
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I would say it could be on the uptick. I’ve been getting it about every 3-4 weeks or so, which is more than I used to. Not just gas stations, it’s happened in grocery store and mall parking lots too.
I usually get a “my friend and I drove here from X and we don’t have enough money to get back” or a “please call the cops for me, I just torched a building downtown and I’m afraid I’ll do it again” or “my phone’s dead and my car’s almost out of gas”, something like that.
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 18:43 |
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2 this month for well. One with the guy who left his wallet at home and just needed a few bucks for gas. Was also clearly on drugs. Around here you actually see street peope exchange empty gas cans and swap positions, like they’re switching on 8 hour shifts.
I also get lots of stories about someone’s daughter or wife being in the hospital somehow over an hour away. One guy told me his wife AND daughter were at a hospital 2 hours north. I was waiting for him mention of his dog was also critical care. We was high on meth and drove a new Elantra.
Sam
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 18:50 |
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People must start giving during this time of year. I gave a person a gallon of gas, since they didn’t ask me directly for money. And they legitimately seemed like they might’ve needed it. They actually had out of state plates, for one. Plus, I’m not going to miss $2.10.
gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 18:55 |
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I’ve only encountered this once. It was in Vegas during the Lemons Rally this summer. Middle-ages lady approached me asking if I had any gas money, because she was travelling from California to “the Midwest” with her Yorkie to go see her newborn grand daughter . She seemed nice but I noticed her car had Nevada plates. Fortunately I never carry cash, always using cards, so pulling out my wallet and giving her literally everything in it was only $2. She took it and told me she appreciated it a lot, but I could tell she wasn’t happy about it at all. She also didn’t buy gas at that station though. I’m still not sure one way or the other if she was legit or not. If she was, I don’t feel bad because I gave her all I physically could, but if she wasn’t I’m only out $2.
I did once get approached after leaving a grocery store by what initially appeared to be an elderly lady asking for money who claimed her husband had left her and she hadn’t eaten for three days except she’d delivered it in a total monotone that made it sound like she’d repeated exactly that line so many times it was painful, which made me pause and realize she looked more like a meth head than an elderly lady, so instead of pulling out my wallet and giving her money, I reached into my bags and gave her a bag of carrots instead. She definitely didn’t appreciate it, but she did take them and didn’t stab me, so I think I’m good. And again either I helped someone or got conned out of $2 without really enabling an addiction.
I feel like a reasonable human being.
LongbowMkII
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
11/22/2016 at 19:02 |
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“We was high on meth”
Poor Tercel, being traded for an Elantra. Meth destroys Happy Toyota families.
lone_liberal
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 19:04 |
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I work in the downtown area of my city and I hear the same stories from panhandlers repeated all of the time. If something works they let others know and then the next thing you know every time you walk down the street somebody gives you a story about needing bus fare to go pick up their sick kid from school. I walked the four blocks from my office to a drug store and back and heard that story three times.
Chuckles
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 19:08 |
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I never had this issue once while driving my Civic, but as soon as I started putting the top down on my Miata it attracted all of the crazies. Usually it’s outside of the grocery store. They’re always trying to get back to some place a few hours away and somebody is sick. I guess they see me in a convertible and they know that I can’t just close my window and ignore them. Either that or they have some seriously misguided notions about the level of wealth of guys in their thirties who drive 22 year old cheap Japanese cars.
That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 19:09 |
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There’s a 7-Eleven in Providence that I avoid because it seems like every time I go there somebody asks me for money. At this point I’m so jaded about homeless people that I’ve got no problem telling the jerks that approach me at the gas station that I’ve got nothing for them.
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LongbowMkII
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 19:10 |
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‘Tis the season.
Some, maybe most, are just wanting drugs, but maybe some are wanting to get their kid something for Christmas or keep the heat on. I’m an optimist. Worst thing is I spend $1.66 in change I would’ve spent at Taco Bell. Like Sam said, I’m not going to miss it.
That being said I usually refuse if there’s a obvious con, I’d much rather give to someone holding “need money for booze” sign.
Textured Soy Protein
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 19:19 |
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My default response is I don’t have any cash, only credit cards on me, without explicitly saying no. I figure it gives someone who’s really in need the opportunity to ask if I mind putting a few gallons in their tank, buying some food, etc. Most people just move along to the next potential mark.
shop-teacher
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 19:45 |
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It’s been a long time since I had a gas station con laid on me. During college I had the EXACT. SAME. CON laid on me by at least a dozen people in the four years I lived in that town (Champaign, IL).
Their script was, “I’m from Chicago. My house burned down. I’m on my way to a shelter in Danville. I’m out of gas, can you give me some gas money?”
The last several times I just laughed at them.
Matt Nichelson
> jariten1781
11/22/2016 at 21:01 |
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I’m gonna share my story on this. I know there are a lot of crappy/sketchy people that ask for money, but this guy was just different. Bit of a long one, so sit back.
So I pulled into my local Walmart one Sunday afternoon a couple of months ago. I noticed an older man in a wheelchair sitting out by the exit. This is where most of the panhandlers hang out during the day in my city. This guy seemed different, though. He wasn’t holding a sign. He wasn’t trying to wave people down. He was just sitting there.
Normally when I see people out there I just keep going. Something was different this time, though. I kept looking over in his direction until I went inside and got whatever it waa I went there for. The whole time I had this feeling that I should go talk to this person. I couldn’t shake it. By the time I left, I made my mind up that I was going to go and speak to this guy and hear his story. I walked out of the store and looked in the direction where he was sitting. He was gone.
I actually got mad with myself. I felt so selfish that I didn’t just go and talk to him before I went in. I got in my car and left out of the lot, still cursing myself. That’s when I saw him.
He had moved behind another building. As I passed him, he kindly waved and I knew it was now or never. I wheeled around and parked my car, then hopped out and ran across three lanes of taffic. When I made it to him, I told him I didn’t know what it was, but I had to come talk to him. So I sat on the corner right next to traffic coming in and out of Walmart, and listened to his story.
His name was Rodney and he and his family were from the coast. He lost both legs just below the knee several years ago and was on disability. His house was damaged by Katrina and they never were able to get it fixed because they couldn’t afford it. They decided to move north so his wife and son in law could find work. So they loaded up what they could into Rodney’s truck and he, his wife, his pregnant daughter and son in law and their kids, and headed north. That’s when the wreck happened.
His truck was totaled. Now they all were homeless and without any transportation. They found a cheap motel to stay in, but he did admit some nights they all had to sleep outside if they didn’t get enough money that day. It was around this time his son in law walked up. He was out there as well, asking for money further up the road. The young guy had been applying for jobs and was hoping he would get one soon. Rodney’s wife had been doing the same, though I don’t remember if it was mentioned on if she had heard anything.
But this time I had been sitting there for almost an hour. I was beside myself. I knew I had a lot going on, but it paled in comparison to what this family had gone through. I left them long enough to go and get 20 bucks and bring it back to Rodney. He was crying when I gave it to him. Hell, so was I.
We talked a few more minutes before I had to go. As I got up, the son in law wanted to say a prayer, so we held hands and did just that, right next to a busy road full of Walmart traffic. I’m sure we were getting odd looks by people driving by, but I didn’t care. The whole thing was just surreal. We all said goodbye after that, then I gave them both a hug. I walked back to my car and left, thankful of what all just happened. I realized I needed that moment as much as they did.
I know most stories don’t go this way, but for all the garbage ordeals out there, it’s nice to know there are a few good people left in this world.
Here’s to you, Rodney. I hope things have gotten better since then.
Rykilla303
> jariten1781
11/23/2016 at 11:56 |
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Meh. I usually let myself get grifted for a few bucks. Anyone getting income that way is still probly not doing well.
gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> jariten1781
12/05/2016 at 21:02 |
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I find this happens around the holidays.
Its also why when i’m driving my weekend car to imagine I’m making a pit stop and not make eye contact with anyone.