# Dear Homeless Person: Show respect when I give you spare change! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 21, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841 "2010-10-21T00:29:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/41 "2010-10-21T02:19:45Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > You seem to think the amount of money you gave him has anything to do with anything. So does **Frank** , and others, apparently. :rolleyes: What’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/42 "2010-10-21T02:24:26Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > So does **Frank** , and others, apparently. :rolleyes: Good night, troll. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/43 "2010-10-21T02:35:06Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > How do you figure that? > > If I gave him a dollar, would I be less of a douchebag? You’re a douchebag for that snotty condescending attitude. You treated the guy as less than a human being, who should be positively orgasmic that an Exalted One such as yourself deigned to notice his pathetic existence. Personally, I hope the quarter you flipped him was one of those rare ones worth tons of money. It would make my fucking week if he’d caught it…identified it as such…and danced his way down to the auction house to sell it for millions. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/44 "2010-10-21T02:36:50Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’m idly curious; do you allow contractors working on your house to use your bathroom? Sure. Contractors aren’t bums. And they seem to shower daily. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/45 "2010-10-21T02:38:59Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > As long as it’s legal tender, his immediate reaction should have been gratitude, not derision. What happened to _respect!_ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/46 "2010-10-21T02:42:01Z")
The fact that it was a shitty quarter, and that you couldn’t even touch hum enough to hand him money. And BTW, if he was a crack addict or some other kind of junkie, how would you expect him to be able to catch anything? It is a damn fine line between throwing something to someone and throwing it at someone, and why would you be outraged that _anyone_ might be on the other side of that line from you at some point. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/47 "2010-10-21T02:43:53Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > You’re a douchebag for that snotty condescending attitude. You treated the guy as less than a human being, who should be positively orgasmic that an Exalted One such as yourself deigned to notice his pathetic existence. Apparently you have a reading disability. Let me repeat the exact words of my OP: > [@fuzzypickles](#): > > _I decided to revisit the bum and give him a quarter…after all, he did give me directions earlier. **When I saw him I said, “Here you go” and tossed him the coin,** which accidentally bounced from his hand and landed next to his feet._\*\* What’s condescending about that? Please, explain. And you don’t need to limit your reply to one-syllable words, either – I’m smrt like taht. 😉 > [@Oakminster](#): > > Personally, I hope the quarter you flipped him was one of those rare ones worth tons of money. It would make my fucking week if he’d caught it…identified it as such…and danced his way down to the auction house to sell it for millions. It was a Maine state quarter. I’m no numismatist, but those aren’t exceptionally rare, are they? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/48 "2010-10-21T02:47:01Z")
Throwing money at _anyone_ is degrading. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/49 "2010-10-21T02:49:58Z")
How’s about this for starters then: > [@](#): > > …so I decided to revisit the bum and give him a quarter… Y’know, I might have used the word fellow, or bloke, or chap, (given that this person had actually helped my journeying earlier) but you chose the pejorative ‘bum’. Is that condescending enough for you? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/50 "2010-10-21T02:50:09Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Throwing money at _anyone_ is degrading. “Toss” =/ “Throw” Have you ever “tossed” a beer at a pal? It was exactly like that. I got his attention, motioned that I had something for him, then gently _tossed_ the money towards his outstretched hand. The fact that it bounced off his palm was an accident…or, looking back, the drugs he was on ruined his manual dexterity. He didn’t kick the coin away until he saw it was “only a stinking quarter”, as **FrankieFrank** and other morons of his ilk have stated. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/51 "2010-10-21T03:03:11Z")
At Weyburn and Broxton, two blocks over is Stan’s Donuts, the center of the doughnut universe. Check it out. ---
**Author:** ![palacheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e57/32.png) [@palacheck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palacheck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/52 "2010-10-21T03:16:58Z")
One thing I dislike about the internet is that it gives ineffectual dickheads a place to bitch about really dumb shit. In the good old days they just kept it bottled up until they died of an ulcer. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/53 "2010-10-21T03:25:44Z")
Given that we don’t have avatards (hence I don’t remember much about the OP ;)), this has got to end in a “gotcha ya”, right? I mean FP isn’t really that much of a doosh is he? ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/54 "2010-10-21T03:33:13Z")
> [@palacheck](#): > > One thing I dislike about the internet is that it gives ineffectual dickheads a place to bitch about really dumb shit. Hate to burst your bubble, but AFAIK, the BBQ Pit is a place _specifically_ reserved for bitching about really dumb shit. On the bright side, on this board, I don’t have to use terms like “gay” or “retarded” just to fit in with the locals. 🆒 > [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > At Weyburn and Broxton, two blocks over is Stan’s Donuts, the center of the doughnut universe. Check it out. Thanks, I’ll check it out next time I’m down there. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/55 "2010-10-21T05:12:58Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Hate to burst your bubble, but AFAIK, the BBQ Pit is a place _specifically_ reserved for bitching about really dumb shit. Thanks for the laughs **fuzzypickles**! This thread has been freakin’ hilarious! Next time, do one about fat people who declaw their circumcised cats after riding a bike through a stop sign! ETA: I don’t care if you have a bet or not, there is NO WAY this is going to beat the Pro Bono thread for # of posts. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/56 "2010-10-21T05:23:07Z")
Wow, you people don’t have _any_ experience with street bums, do you? Particularly those who are there because of their own fault? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/57 "2010-10-21T05:25:26Z")
**fuzzypickles** , a lot of people who are homeless have mental issues as well. And I doubt the guy was all that acquainted with Emily Post. (BTW, what IS the protocol when someone “tosses you a quarter”) ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/58 "2010-10-21T05:30:37Z")
> [@](#): > > BTW,what IS the protocol when somone “tosses you a quarter” You bite it and say “Bless you sir” ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/59 "2010-10-21T05:35:56Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > **fuzzypickles** , a lot of people who are homeless have mental issues as well. And I doubt the guy was all that acquainted with Emily Post. (BTW, what IS the protocol when someone “tosses you a quarter”) I think the thing to do is to go to a fast food place, buy a cup for water, and make yourself a heap of napkin sandwiches using the free ketchup packs and the napkin dispenser. (man, this thread just keeps on getting better) ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841/60 "2010-10-21T05:38:00Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > …and I don’t like supporting people’s crack habits anyway.) Your mind should be as broad as the brush you paint with. And, no, I’m not homeless, previously homeless, or even a homeless sympathizer, apologist, or whatever you kids are calling it these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-homeless-person-show-respect-when-i-give-you-spare-change/557841.md?page=4)