Best reason to give money to a panhandler

In My Humble Opinion
1

I only have two sons, but what they lack in size, they make up for in enthusiasm. At times it’s like herding badgers.

After chasing kids all day, I was taking the pack home from eating pizza. With temples throbbing, I stopped the van at an intersection where a guy was standing with a sign that said:

I didn’t take advantage of the offer but the laugh alone was worth a couple of bucks.

The last time I gave someone money like this was when that person gave a drumming demonstration for my two year old. I’ll buy food for anyone, but will only give money if I get something in return. Has anyone else felt that they got anything in exchange for the money they gave a panhandler?

2

Got some good stories that deserved a buck. Delivery and timing should be rewarded, as well as a good approach.

3

There was this one panhandler that used to sit outside a club my freinds and I went to. He would do this little song and dance thing, that was very funny. We would give him some spare cash if we could, or get a slice of pizza, or if there was no money, give him some smokes. Seeing him was just part of going to the club.

4

My friends and I were in Hollywood one October to do a little halloween costume shopping on Hollywood Blvd. Dave (who is black, I am not*) and I decided to pop outside and have a quick smoke while our other friends finished their shopping.

We were standing there talking and smoking when this old homeless man with a harmonica comes up to us. He looks at Dave and asks, “May I play you and your white woman some Blues.”

What could we say? We motioned him to go ahead, and he played the harmonica for us for a couple minutes (he was actually quite good). Dave then gave him a couple dollars and the man went on his way. Then we laughed ourselves silly for the rest of the day.

The guy definitely earned his money and then some for the story Dave and I got from this experience. To this day, I’m still occasionally refered to by this group of friends as “Dave’s White Woman”. :smiley:

*Normally I wouldn’t point this out but it has bearing on the story.

5

There used to be an old man who sat every day on the steps leading down to the Kangnam subway station in Seoul. He was blind, and his face was covered with hundreds of small scars, leading me to speculate on what sort of accident cost him his eyes. He played a bamboo flute, and he played it well–slow and soulful, the kind of music you just can’t walk past. I stopped every time I saw him, and listened, hypnotized. I always gave him some money. I haven’t seen him there for years; maybe he’s found a better way to make a living, or maybe he’s just gone.

The subways in Seoul are often used by the blind as places to panhandle, and although I feel for all of them, most of them annoy me so much with their cassette players blaring “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” that I don’t give them any cash. But this old guy, his music haunted me. I look for him whenever I go to that station, but I guess he’s not coming back.

6

I’ve seen a guy in NYC with a sign that reads

BITCH ME OUT $1
I haven’t taken advantage of his service yet but sometimes I really want to do it.
I guess the best reason to give cash to a panhandler is that it is your money and you can do whatever you want to with it.

7

To quote Chris Rock:

“If ya’all got yoself a funny sign, yo ass aint been homeless long enough!”

8

There was a panhandler in Albany who used to come up and ask for a donation to the United Negro Pizza Fund. Entertaining enough so I gave him some cash.

9

I gave money to a guy with a sign saying - “Please give generously. Three bad habits to support.”

10

Hell, just go down to the nearest liquor store and get the dude a fifth of Jack…of course that’s stereo typical but might be exactly what he’s looking for. If not, he can pawn it off on one of his friends for something.

< please no PC remarks, I have seen many panhandlers in many cities who are out more for the mighty booze than the mighty buck…if you are that inclined to help the dude, go to Wendy’s and buy him a hamburger, fries and a milk. >

11

Yes, I know, the thread has taken a rather humorous bent. But, I would never give money to a person with a funny sign (see the Chris Rock quote a few posts up). If I see the “why lie, I need a beer” sign one more time, I’ll break that rule, and give the person some money if they toss the sign in the garbage.

Sure, alot of people make some decent cash on the street. More power to 'em. And it sounds like a lot of people like to give spare change to clever street people. But most of the people you see out there have serious mental health and addiction problems. They’re beyond funny signs, and “doing something” for a few nickles.

12

When I was a kid whenever someone asked me if I had any spare change, I would say “Yup.” and keep on walking. I grew up in a city and saw them all the time. You know how kids can be.

13

I heard one say “Hi, I’m trying to get rich, can you give me some money?”

14

kevja’s target

Best schtick seen at a Grateful Dead show:

Scammer: Hey, man, for five bucks I’ll roll you a joint.

My pal: Okay. Here.

Scammer: Got any papers?

My pal: Yeah, here you go.

Scammer: Got any pot?
Best “of course I work here” scheme:

(standing in doorway of club) “Black Cat, Black Cat. Gotta pay me if you cross my path.”

Best comeback:

80’s Crack Addict: Can you give me seventy-five cents so I can buy a hamburger?

Me: No, but you can have half of my soft pretzel.

80’s Crack Addict: That’s unsanitary!
"Persistence is the key to realizing a vision" award:

Panhandler: Yo! Hey! Hey, you! “YOU THERE!”

Me: What, already?!

Panhandler: Gimme a dollar.

Me: No!

Panhandler: Yo! Hey! Wait a minute! You forgot something!

Me: What?

Panhandler: You forgot to give me a dollar, motherf@<%er!

Having been broke and homeless myself, albeit briefly, I’ve got a pretty good idea who’s working a beat, who’s in the Reagan Mental Health Program, and who’s trying to scratch out of the hole. I generally shoot the breeze with the latter, and offer some suggestions if I can. A good tip on who’s hiring is worth a pocket full of change any day.

I agree with the above sentiments: if you’ve got a line, you’re working at staying on the street rather than getting off of them. I always tip the Black Cat guy generously, though. He’s got a job, whether or not the management likes it.

15

How’d he get from Albany to Venice Beach where we saw him?

Anyway, just today I saw, “KICK A PUNK, $1.” On the other side it said “KICK AN ANGLO, $1”, selon le cas.

16

I usually give money to people who are doing something for the money (playing an instrument, singing, banging a tambourine, whatever), not just standing there with their hand out saying “Give me your money.” Make an effort, for criminy’s sake. Nothing comes for free in this life, especially not my hard-earned cash.

17

God (or your “higher power”) doesn’t judge you on whether or not the person you give the money to spends it on booze or drugs; he judges you on whether you give or not. Take the challenge. Usually, the person you are giving money to doesn’t care that there may be a better standard of living up ahead if he starts thinking his way through life instead of letting his emotions take over. We as a society agree to help the disadvantaged through welfare, taxes and charity, and when you give to a person on the streets, make no mistake, it is charity, the most noble giving of all, you don’t get a tax write off, or even a pat on the back, but just the hope that you made someone’s day a little bit brighter.

18

God or my higher power doesn’t earn my paycheck. I earn it.

19

A one-armed guy stands outside my local, singing “You need hands.” He doesn’t want money, though, which is annoying becuse he cheers me up and I’d like to give something back, so presumably if I want to return the blessing, I’ll be compelled to actually get involved and offer my friendship - whether or not he wants it. Eventually I shall have to pursue him in and out of various pubs until finally, he tells me to piss off and find a job.

I may have rambled a little but this is totally the kind of thing that happens to me. The scene is in a local street, any day of the week. Striding along with a slightly manic expression on my face, I’m approached by a hungry guy.
“Hey bro… spare some change?”
“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you - arise and walk!”
“Hey… get your hands off me, dude…”
“No, I am your brother! Let me help you!”
“Hey… somebody call a cop - get this freak off me!”
“Come on! Sing with me! Altogether - what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear…”
“Help! Help me! Aaaaaaargh!”

Hmm. There’s just no pleasing some people. :wink: