The Front Row

I live in vegas and they make it an art form out here.

Most recent one was in a super market parking lot. This dude came up....early 20's with a young girl with him about 10 years old. Started giving me this sob story about how he moved out here last week with his little girl (who of course is hungry) looking for work and has been sleeping in his car. He of course is not looking for a hand out (even though that is exactly what he was doing) but if I could spare some money to buy his little girl something to eat.....

I get so sick of this shit. This was a young healthy man in his mid 20's. His clothes weren't a wrinkled mess as would happen if they were sleeping in a car for a period of time......I know what that is like. His little girl's hair was washed recently and combed thoroughly. It doesn't even matter.

Another time i see this guy setting up shop on a highway exit lane right at the traffic light. He is deeply tanned so you know he is all outdoors. Plus he looks like a wreck. The guy has a prosthetic limb.....probably due to drinking and infection. I gave him every cent I had. I know he is going to buy booze or drugs with it but so what? He probably isn't going to be alive much longer and obviously no amount of money is going to fix him. Giving is what God asks of us. All we got to do is give and after that our responsibility is done. I could care less what he spends it on. Matter of fact I hope he does go out and gets tanked. Maybe he feels better that way and who am I to begrudge a man his happiness?

I don't like being lied to. So if you are going to beg then your sign should read, "I'm really pathetic and can't support myself. I'm waiting to die but in the mean time can you give me money so I can self medicate in order to feel normal for a short period of time before I finally die?" I give you what I got because who am I to say you can't be happy if I have a way to help you get it? Sob stories sound just like what they are.

I see it all the time here and I am also torn. Not that can't spare a buck here and there, but I am afraid to engage them because who knows if they will attack you or something. Plus, saw this story in the paper....I walked by this chick on the way to work for months. Makes it harder to sympathize if you think some are frauds.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/none_in_the_oven_z1UXVqwzjjtEUg0CragbOK

+1 to you Sir for accuracy in reporting...

I have a few of these stories too, and I am usually a big sucker for these guys. Last year I got hit by a real pro. I was staying in ATL at an Embassy Suites hotel. I was down in the lobby enjoying the complimentary happy hour and watching tv with my brother in law and some friends. They left to get something from their rooms, I think we were getting a card game up, and I was approached by a man on my blindside. He was well dressed, a little outdated, but nice clothes. He put me in the mind of a scientist or computer programmer. He comes up to me apologizing for bothering me, and gives me the story that he works for IBM(I think) and was in town for work. He proceeds to tell me he left his wallet at the IBM office because he had it in his lab coat. He shows me his wallet is gone. I am still suspicious at this point, but listening. He then says his car is in the parking garage, and it has a flat tire. He has called an auto club(I forget which one) and they are coming to fix the tire, he even shows me the club card which he says he keeps in his glove box. He says he has the club on the way, and he has to pay them 21 dollars when they get there. He tells me he is staying in the hotel,and even gives me his room number. Says if I will lend him the money,he will go back to the office and get his wallet, and leave the money in my name at the front desk. He starts asking my name and where I live etc. I assume to put me at ease and gain my confidence in retrospect. I open my wallet and all I have are 20's. I guess at this point he had me, because I peeled two 20's out and gave them to him and he was extremely grateful, promising to pay me back promptly. He then talks to me for several more minutes, about where I live, and asks what nice restaurants are near my home. I tell him some, and he then lays it on real thick, promising that he will leave gift cards for me at the desk in token of his appreciation. Then to top it off, he wants to know how he can get in touch with me if there is a problem. I give him my cell #(Not wanting him to know where I live). He of course never payed up, and I never saw him again. I was so embarrassed about losing 40 dollars that way,I never told my wife. Curiously that weekend she did meet a woman with children, who said they were staying at the hotel with their husband, while he was in town working for IBM! Only thing I can figure is he was a pro...and he knew what time the happy hour at Embassy Suites started lol.

I think I have learned my lesson, that dude made me sick...

I got snookered once at work...I helped a guy(Sales Representative, not my Company) write a book, it was his 2nd or 3rd one, and gave him a lot of my own personal information(as far as technique, methods..etc) of how to do certain things in business and he said "i will put your name in the book(which he did) and give credit*(which he did) but he said How about me taking you out for a nice dinner for doing this for me? I said sure, but lets make it a lunch as I knew my wife was not included. He picked me up and took me to a nice lunch..kind of expensive and when the bill came, he said.."geeze I forgot my wallet, cash and credit cards'' could you pick it up and I will pay you back". I did, and never heard from the guy again....a sucker born every minute.....we never learn do we?

A couple of years ago I was visiting Goa, India. I went to an old church, Basilica of Bom Jesus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Bom_Jesus which contains the body of Saint Francis Xavier. Upon leaving there was the most hideous looking old woman beggar I have ever seen. She was shrieking holding out her hand for money. Frankly she scared me and I wanted to get away as fast as I could. My lack of compassion for this lady troubled me for days, I would think about her and kept asking myself why I did not give her $20. A couple of weeks later I was back in the U.S. pumping gas and my mind again wandered to Goa beggar lady. Suddenly I was snapped out of my daydream by a female asking me for money. Was this another chance? Deja vu? Karma? Needless to say that lady left me with $20.

Four kids later....I've been panhandled for about 23 years now.