Supporting "Bum" culture

Quote: odiousgambit

But it meant panhandling was fairly lucrative by his standards and it was a confirmation not every panhandler is what they seem.

Stephen King wrote an excellent story about
a panhandler in NYC. He would kiss his wife
goodbye in the morning and leave for his
Wall St job as a broker. Except he was really
a Wall St panhandler. He would change into
a scruffy outfit that included an old army coat,
and sunglasses, and pretend he was a blind
Vietnam vet for 8 hours.

The kicker was, during the day he actually
became blind and was the real deal. He
made enough money that his family could
live like a Wall St broker lives. It was a good
story because of all the Stephen King type
things that went on in his head during the
going blind process. Very creepy.

It's in the Hearts in Atlantis book and is
called Blind Willie.

There is a similar story of a career panhandler in one of my collections of allegedly true Vegas stories. I can't remember the title but the story was too incredible to be true.

Quote: AZDuffman

Lucky here in the east we do not seem to have the same problem at gas stations.

In Los Angeles near the airport there was a line of beggars waiting for me at a gas station. the first one would come and get a dollar while you were pumping gas. Then the second one would come. It took me a minute to realize they were all in a que behind the building.

Quote: Pacomartin

In Los Angeles near the airport there was a line of beggars waiting for me at a gas station. the first one would come and get a dollar while you were pumping gas. Then the second one would come. It took me a minute to realize they were all in a que behind the building.

Yeah, I had them attack me when I was filling up my tank before returning my rental car. They must get such tourists all day long at that station on Century Blvd. The one who got me at first pretended to be a good Samaritan (spell check wants me to capitalize that) to help with where to return the car, directions, using the credit card reader, etc.. I tried to wave him off but he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. I know I shouldn't have, but rather than suffer him for three minutes while I fueled up I gave him so change to get rid of him. I know I shouldn't, and was just contributing to the problem. On a good day I would have stood up to him but I was running late and making my flight was of paramount importance.

Quote: Wizard

Yeah, I had them attack me when I was filling up my tank before returning my rental car. They must get such tourists all day long at that station on Century Blvd. The one who got me at first pretended to be a good Samaritan (spell check wants me to capitalize that) to help with where to return the car, directions, using the credit card reader, etc.. I tried to wave him off but he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. I know I shouldn't have, but rather than suffer him for three minutes while I fueled up I gave him so change to get rid of him. I know I shouldn't, and was just contributing to the problem. On a good day I would have stood up to him but I was running late and making my flight was of paramount importance.

What amazes me is how these beggars could not succeed in the real world in a sales position. When I was a PCO a tech at a branch went into a place and asked for money for gas or some other thing I forget what (was some branch far away I met the manager at a conference.) Our reaction was, "He isn't afraid to make cold calls. Why isn't he in sales?" With all the people they approach at the least they could be barkers in front of a bar or attraction.

FWIW, did spell check not have you capitalize the "G" as well?

Quote: Wizard

I tried to wave him off but he wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

They are just like carnival people. They
live in a world outside of the regular
world. He can embarrass himself and
bug you till you give him money,
because to him you aren't real. You're
just a mark, somebody he can take
advantage of. You're opinion of him
is meaningless in his world. He only
cares what others in his group think
of him.

Quote: Wizard

The one who got me at first pretended to be a good Samaritan (spell check wants me to capitalize that)

"Good Samaritan" is one of the New Testament's lessons in bigotry. "Samaritan" refers to an inhabitant of Samaria, a region in the old kingdom of Israel, whose inhabitants were all classified as a**holes and jerks by the people of Judea at the time of Augustus.

It's capitalized as you'd capitalize "American" of "Roman."

Quote: Wizard

I gave him so change to get rid of him.

Once, I gave one only 1 dime. I was out walking and didn't have anything else with me anyway.

Quote: AZDuffman

FWIW, did spell check not have you capitalize the "G" as well?

No. I think because a Samaritan is also somebody from Samaria, which spell check doesn't like under any capitalization. So, same reason you would capitalize Canadian.

Never mind, I see Nareed already made the same point.

Quote: Wizard

No. I think because a Samaritan is also somebody from Samaria, which spell check doesn't like under any capitalization. So, same reason you would capitalize Canadian.

Never mind, I see Nareed already made the same point.

I get that part, just that the term Good Samaritan is a proper name together in both legal terms as well as an expression it surprises me a touch.