MSU Red Cedar Message Board

Most homeless people are battling severe mental illness and/or serious addiction problems, but telling someone you're an unstable heroin addict isn't a very good way to garner sympathy or extract cash from strangers.

There was a story in the Washington City Paper 7-8 years ago that chronicled a well known homeless guy who worked the area around Connecticut and K street. He told people he was a recovering drug additct who had AIDS and needed money for meds and doctors visits, etc. People working in nearby office buildings gave him cash, clothing, food, etc. Offices would pool money and buy him things like new winter coats, hats, gloves, etc. People would buy groceries for him, give him gift cards to grocery stores, clothing stores etc. The stuff all would quickly disappear, the guy would claim he had to sell it to buy meds or that he got robbed.

The City Paper discovered that the guy had an apartment in the suburbs, stocked with stuff that people had given him. Coats, cases of bottled water, blankets, heaters, food, etc. He told the City Paper that if he sat on the street with a new coat on, people wouldn't give him as much money. He claimed he was pulling in hundreds of dollars a day in cash and would ride the train in every morning to work the streets, then ride it back home in the afternoon. He was a heroin addict, but he had a bank account and a car and paid his rent on time every month.

Not saying all homeless people are like this guy (most are too addicted or have too many mental issues to be that crafty), but the story presented on the street rarely represents reality.

That is the way to do it. People will be incredibly giving if the person legitimately needs food. We have had a pretty big problem in Dayton recently and the cops all say to not give them any cash at all. It just makes the problem worse. One cop was telling me that "the vast majority" of them are trying to get money for drugs. Plus, they have had incidents with a guy reaching in a car and taking the whole purse. Druggies will do anything to get the fix.

Also, never fall for the, "I need a ride, my wife is at the hospital" routine.

You sir, rule.

You say tomato, I say tomato.

bump.

Spent the whole night ignoring panhandlers.

I had a court-appointed client show up wearing at least 4 or 5 shirts to his sentencing hearing. Just barely qualified as an adult, was not blessed with a solid family structure, did something stupid - common story. The client typically zoned out or fell asleep in court. Judge asked him a couple questions just before sentence gets handed down on what he'd been up to since the last hearing and the kid looked like he was about to break down. I prodded a little, and the kid spilled the beans - his family bailed the state earlier that week and left him here, homeless. Walked 25 miles to get to court in the morning, started 10pm the night before. It was all of about 20 degrees that night, which explained the shirts. The lawyers all took a recess and started trying to find a solution that gave the kid a warm bed that night. I ended up taking the kid to Pizza Hut while we waited on hearing from various programs.

Ultimately we found one that would work, but it'd take 72 hours to open up a slot for him. Judge remanded him in the meantime. I've never seen someone so happy to go to jail before. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction in these hardluck stories.

There was a story in the Denver Post about heroin addict girl who averaged $110 a day sitting by the side of the road.

Oh the horror.

Pizza Hut lunch buffet? Damn, that shit is good, dog!!

Few years ago, saw some stupid bitch mid 20s standing by the EL near chinatown asking for $5 to get home since she "forgot" her purse at home. Fast forward next day same damn spot asking for money home.

Well to be fair, aren't all drinks/all sizes at McD's $1...just sayin'