In New Orleans we were walking on Bourbon Street one chilly night last week. A homeless-looking guy was passed out on the sidewalk. We walked by him to the next block, and the SO went into the first store. She bought a hoodie, then said she would be right back. She went back to the passed-out guy and made a pillow of the hoodie to keep the man’s face from off the sidewalk. Oh, and the shop owner sold her the garment for half-price when she told him what she was going to do with it.
Dis-fortunately, the hoodie may not be a keeper. At least, not for that guy. It will be stolen from him by the next homeless guy and/or druggie faster than you can walk back to that shop to buy him another one. Unless that guy is the Bull Goose Alpha Dog in town, which seems unlikely for someone passed out on the street.
In the homeless world, nobody but the Bull Goose Alpha Dog can keep a coat on his back. When the weather turns cold, they will steak the socks right off one another’s feet while they sleep. Wearing a jacket is an open invitation to get the crap beaten out of you, or whatever it takes, for someone to steal it.
Is that true?It doesn’t seem likely. Second hand clothes or blankets are under ten dollars in Goodwill and thrift stores. And the homeless don’t mind how they look, so a quality coat is not necessary, three sweaters pulled over each other will do just as well. And such old ratty coats and sweaters are worth nothing.
And given how most homeless people are smelly and would think one another smelly, how is it attractive to steal each others clothes?
I’ve read a lot of articles that I’ve been able to find on-line about homeless people. When the weather gets cold, they will steal one another’s socks right off their feet while they sleep because a lot of them don’t have socks of their own. Same with jackets. Many homeless people are that desperate.
This thread isn’t about the merits of giving to the homeless or about them having stuff stolen, it’s about the good one person has done when she didn’t have to. Stop hijacking the thread.
Johnny L.A., both your SO and the shop keeper are angels. Thanks for sharing this story with us.
