The neighborhood I live in is on the raggedy fringe of the Tenderloin, with everything that implies, and our main drag was historically a fleshpot street that’s been revamped in the last few years into a Nightlife Destination Area. Thus, it’s not that unusual for me to get panhandled when I’m out and about at night. Take last night – I’m off to the ATM machine at my bank to get out a twenty for cigarettes and something for dinner, and I get sparechanged. The lady beggar was about what you’d expect her to be – grimy and rattlebones, in a torn up sweatshirt and greasy slacks. I gave her what I could – I know, most people on this board don’t believe in giving out sparechange to beggars, but I do – fifty cents and a couple of cigarettes. Then go hit the ATM and start back down the street.
There’s a hetero couple walking just a little ahead of me, obviously out for a night of clubhopping – dressed expensive and snazzy, well coiffed and well pleased with themselves. Our lady in the torn up sweatshirt asks quietly for whatever they can spare.
Upon which the …*man *of this couple reaches into his pocket and says “Sure, I got $20” Pulls a 20 out and waves it at her, and says “Naaah…you can’t have it.” and stuffs it back in his pocket. And he chortles. His squeeze giggles.
And I explode. “You somofabitch! That was a real mean fuckin thing to do to her, what the hell’s wrong with you? All she did was ask you for some fuckin’ change, man!” He doesn’t even look back – just tosses over his shoulder “If she thinks I’m givin her bum ass *shit *she’s crazy! And if you think I’m givin her shit, so’re you!”
Ooooohhhhh…that coldblooded, evilhearted creep! To pull a number like that on somebody who’s so downpower relative to him that she’s fuckin’ got no way to get him back for it…what a cruel, cowardly motherfucker. This happened last night and I’m still seething over it! I can only hope he not only gets his wad jacked some nice night real soon, but the robber is a sadistic mofo with a sense of humor who beats his ass up good, then takes his clothes and sends him on his way naked, so he’ll know humiliation from the* target’s *side for a change.
That’s…something else. Really, you should be proud of yourself that you had enough self-control not to coldcock this guy. I know almost exactly where you were…7th Street? I used to walk up Market after work, just for some exercise and fresh air. Horribly sad to have that many people that desperate right in front of you and you can’t do shit about it. But to deliberately make it worse…
Damn! That’s just horrible! I personally will not contribute financially to panhandlers, but I will offer food, bus passes etc if that is what they want. I would not tease a down-on-their-luck person like that!
Yeah, way to encourage someone to change for the better you moron!
I’m not snarking, which is what people say when they snark, I know, but if someone had posted the same message about a same-sex couple, there would be comments that the sexual orientation of the couple was irrelevant, and posting information about it was needlessly inflammatory. Coulda just left out the hetero tag and been just as meaningful. I agree with you about everything else.
A giggle might be an expression of approval of his actions. But it might have been a nervous response to the sudden realization that “Holy, shit, this guy is a complete dick head!”
There are two panty-related Google ads at the bottom of the page now. Perhaps it’s best if that remains a mystery.
I don’t think I could have been as restrained as you were. Jesus, what a prick. Makes me think of the people in Atlanta who quadruple-park their $80,000 cars (parking over the intersection of four parking spots). I always want to wait for them to come back just so I can talk to them and try to understand what goes on in their little fucking brains.
I was at a conference in Albuquerque, NM, and a friend and I were on the street looking for some event. We ran into some other people (strangers) who were looking for the same thing. As we’re talking, a homeless man comes up and asks for some change. One of the strangers rolls her eyes and spits out, “We don’t give money to people like you!” My friend and I were so taken aback to be included in this “we,” that my friend pulled out a bill and gave it to the guy. The homeless guy lights up and thanks my friend profusely. Later, he realized that he gave the guy a $20.
I’m not particularly religious and this is not my religion, but I can’t help thinking: really bad karma. What goes around, comes around and he will get his, someday.
We are an interesting species.
I can’t believe he taunted a homeless person with money. That is so incredibly rude and I cannot fathom that at all. I live in NYC so I am panhandled regularly and I learned long ago not to give them money but to give food or something if you feel like you want to help. I can understand a frustration with the homeless but to be so needlessly cruel is disturbing. This city is full of homeless shelters but the homeless refuse to go, I have offered food to homeless people begging for money to get something to eat and had them refuse it, I have been harrassed and called names for not handing over money when they ask for it, etc. Even after all of that though I can’t imagine being so cruel to someone who has such obvious problems.
