In a closed GQ thread:
A couple of weeks ago I was walking in Seattle. This part of town is full of people begging for money. An elderly guy asked for one penny. I knew I had three pennies and some keys in my pocket, so I pulled them out and said, 'I have three pennies! He said, ‘Every bit helps!’
Clever way to get you to reach into your pocket and pull out change…once in hand, perhaps you would be more willing to part with a nickel or dime or quarter.
Better than asking, “Got a hundred dollar bill for me?”
I love how Johnny really felt good about having three pennies for the guy. The guy’s whole hustle failed, but Johnny gets to feel like the good guy.
Actually, I felt like I was being a jerk because I knew it was a ploy to get whatever change I had and I deliberately did not just keep walking. Instead, I knew how much change I had, and gave him three times what he asked for – knowing that was not his goal. (This is why I emptied my pocket, keys an all; so he could see what I had.) I can’t blame people for begging. I dislike being asked for money all the time (especially when I overhear the occasional boast of how someone got beer money by begging), but it was just a little jerkish to give 3¢ instead of just ignoring him.
Ah. I see. Well, yeah, that was jerkish, but hey, something tells me a guy like that is a tough cookie.
Could have been worse. Could have asked for a dollar, and I could have asked if he had change for a twenty.
Actually, you still could have pulled that.
“Can I get just ONE penny?”
“Sure, you got change for a $20?”
A penny? Sorry. They abolished them here last February.
I was in the Haight/Ashbury area of San Francisco, where the homeless hippy make it a lifestyle.
After leaving a McDonalds with my bag of food, a homeless hippy asked, “Five bucks for some food?”
Shocked, I said, “I’m all set, but thanks for the kind offer!”
Obviously he wanted to buy your food for five dollars. If you order off the dollar menu, you could start turning a profit!
Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas, I need to get myself away from this place.
I said, “Yeah! What a concept. I could use a little fuel myself and we could all use a little change.”
Sorry **cmyk **but your post really reminded me of that line.
There was a beggar back in Albuquerque, one of the more colorful street characters, who would always ask for $20. I guess if you ask for a quarter, you might get a quarter, but ask for 20 bucks and no telling how much you’ll actually get.
Another one, same city, would ask for change, and when you gave it to him, he’d stare at it for the longest time in his hand, like he was thinking, “What the fuck is this??!?” then tell you, “Have a bad day.”
Took me a decade to get that song out of my head! 
Haha!