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zip
Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 10, 2008 - 12:05pm PT
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threw it in the trash!
I went for an early morning ride on my bike around the bay, and stopped off at a taco shop for a breakfast burrito.
I saw a dude digging through the trash in front of the shop. He pulled out some old food, and appeared as though he was going to eat it.
I went over to him and asked him if he would like me to buy him something to eat. He said yes. He walked over to the outdoor menu and stared at it a few minutes before ordering a combo plate and a drink.
I paid for his meal, and that sat down to eat my burrito.
When he got his meal, he sat down at the table next to me. He opened up the styro container, and i assumed he was contemplating the feast that was going to partake in.
He picked up the burrito, took a bite out of it, put it back in the container, and closed it. He then picked up the whole meal and walked back over to the trash can, and threw the whole thing away!
WTF?
I don't give out money to people on the street or usually buy street people food. I donate my time and money to organized charities throughout the year.
Maybe he wasn't a homeless guy. He looked kind of destitute, or he looked like he could have been one of Todd Gordon's climbing partners.
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grover
Social climber
Canada
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:09pm PT
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zip take no offense, he is merely fermenting it for later.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:09pm PT
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WTF? is right.
I saw a guy doing the same one time out at a desert gas station.
I made him a big sandwich out of my cooler and he wolfed it down. At least he was really hungry, or grateful, or both.
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apogee
climber
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:20pm PT
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I generally don't give handouts to panhandlers I see at intersections, curbs, etc., because a) I just don't have that much money to give, b) not confident what they are going to do with the $, c) have heard too many horror stories like yours about well-meaning people offering to buy food, only to have them respond by getting angry (or tossing the food, as in your case)
On occasion, though, I do it anyway, and try to rise above these rationales. Though there's no way to tell for sure, some of those people really need the help, and regardless of what they do with it, it's a deposit in my karma bank.
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atchafalaya
climber
Babylon
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:21pm PT
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I always just give em the cash so they can buy drugs/alcohol.
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Binks
Social climber
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:23pm PT
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I did it once too. Once was enough. The guy was a total a-hole about it. These people are whacked. Maybe they should be institutionalized, I guess we don't do that anymore. My wife saw a family pick up a bag of food at a local food bank... and then throw most of it in a nearby trashcan. This is why I look with extreme skepticism on charities that claim to help the poor or help the latest generation of starving African children.
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Chaz
Trad climber
So. Cal.
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:27pm PT
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Last time I got hit up for cash, I didn't have any. So I offered the guy a beer from the twelve-pack I had just bought, and dude turned it down(!).
He said he didn't drink.
What's the world coming to?
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pedge
Trad climber
SW
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Dec 10, 2008 - 12:54pm PT
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A breakfast burrito with 3 eggs, green chili, black beans, onions, some potatoes, some peppers and mushrooms, and other stuff is the best of all possible meals.
I sometimes eat from the trash or what people leave on their plates before they get bussed just because of how disturbing it is to see how much good food gets throw away. Its not money or hunger as much as being pissed off.
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Bart Fay
Social climber
Redlands, CA
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:01pm PT
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I'm so angry I could eat all this trash !
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:13pm PT
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You know folks, there is a really wide range of people on the streets. A pretty good fraction of them are there in the first place because of mental illness, and another fair fraction started on the edge of mental illness and the years of hard living have pushed them further into it.
I hand out dollar bills to the down and outers all the time. If it does a bit of good for them, great. If they figuratively take a bite and throw it in the trash, that's too bad but not relevant to the decision to keep trying in this little way.
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NMClimber
climber
Carlsbad Ca
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:17pm PT
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A guy in his late 20's approached us at a Dairy Queen in Alamosa CO preaching god and ask us to buy him some food. I gave him 4$, enough for a small combo. I then watched him go into the bathroom and then try to sneak out the side door. I went out and grabbed him and took him back in to the order counter. He acted like I was harassing him. It turned into a big scene.
I gave a ride to a guy out in the middle of no where. He stunk terrible and would not shut the f*#k up. Then he asked for money when I finally got him out of my car. My car stunk for days.
A guy with a family claimed he needed gas to get back home. I had prepaid and had maybe 3 bucks of gas left. I offered that to him and he refused and had the attitude of "thats all?"
We watched a female beg for money to buy a meal at McDonalds in Denver. A group of 4 ladies all gave her 6 or 8 bucks total. The lady turned around and walked right out the door. She stopped at the window and gave the 4 astonished ladies the double bird and walked off.
I give to animal shelters, not to scum on the street.
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rockermike
Mountain climber
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:29pm PT
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My guru, a 90 year old Bengali sadhu, was once queried by a visiting American "there are so many beggars in Calcutta, but many aren't poor, they are just cheaters posing as beggars. I don't want to get cheated. What should we do?"
His advise; "don't worry so much about being cheated. The point is its good for YOU to learn to open your hand and let go."
Don't use the experience as an excuse to close your hand tight. You'll only be the loser.
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GhoulweJ
Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:42pm PT
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Bummer.
I was hoping to hear that it was a billionaire in disguise and he gave you a cool million in cash for helping out.
I was in Degnans with the wife eating a large pizza. We only ate half.
I saw a table of dirtbags. On our way out we set the 1/2 pizza on the table and said "enjoy". They responded with big smiles... Like I had just given them a cool mil$. I think they finished it befor we were down the stairs.
Merry Christmas y'all!
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Dr. Rock
Ice climber
http://tinyurl.com/4oa5br
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:46pm PT
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It's a jaded scene, you try to help, but it's a drop in the bucket.
There will always be more people that need help right around the corner.
Some folks give to feel better about themselves, not to make the person feel better.
Guess it is better to error on the plus side, give a little, hope 1 out of 10 buy food, but you never know what is really going to happen, at least they will not starve to death for another night.
A long term solution is what is needed, looks like many "normal"people and families will be hitting the streets, Las Vegas has one out of two houses in forclosure jezus h christ, this is a bad one, I told you guys this was going to turn into a and lock and load type deal, but you laughed me off as usual.
Yeah, this should be real interesting in about 6 months after everybody runs out of money, including the state.
Lots of "Reagan" people still on the street, they out lasted that stupid SOB that everybody thinks is a Hero, hell look what he did to college tuition.
Sure, I raise tuition and throw mental people into the street.
Frequently.
Keep giving, you will make someone happy for a least a small moment of their miserable earthly existence.
Every homeless person I talk to says that living on the street is a lot worse than you could imagine, Happy Holidays.
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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:51pm PT
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Open you hand to shelters etc. not to people on the street.
Some are really in need but some will take any help as a sign of weakness on your part and try to get more from you.
A woman came limping up to me in SanFran with a sob story about how she needed $0.50 for the bus to get home, I gave it to her, and she quickly changed out a quarter for a nickel and said "no I need $0.50 this is $0.30." I started saying something about her lying to me and she walked off, no limp of course.
The biggest risk though is someone could ask you for money and once you get out a wallet, or even just stop to talk to them, you are much more likely to get robbed or harassed.
I did give money to some little old ladies in Europe though, they looked like they had very hard lifes and were no threat.
If someone asks me for money now I just say "sorry I only carry hundreds."
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dirtbag
climber
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:52pm PT
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Where was this?
I'll eat it.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:53pm PT
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hey there all... say, sometimes the best way we can do good, is by watching and waiting, or learning from our kids.. etc:
they KNOW when they have a friend whose family is really having a hard time... so sometimes you can help folks that way, helping the family with food needs, or baby clothes, or shoes, or whatever...
as to big time charities, too, it is very tricky, too... if and when my head injury and seizure awareness books ever take-off to do good, i will have to be very careful to find who to give the money too--i really want real kids to get the benefit from it, not just for it to get "lost in they system" of "renewing a building, etc, just to "be modern and pretty":
i wanted kids with these trouble to have local fun summer camps to go to,etc... so far, now, i just give the "bits" that came in, the local food bank, and even THAT way, the proper people may not get it (as folks that dont need it DO know how to come and get it, sadly), but on the whole---someone that DOES need it, will...
now giving to strangers on the street is a mite harder, cause you dont know if they are seeking to rob you... so you best take care... meals, to give, in public, DOES work good...
i never have any extra to do so---but once, last year, i did buy someone some food from walgreens... as he was sitting outside, not looking so well... looked like he was waiting for a bus, or a ride, dont know----i had only enough money to get him some bread and an apple and cheap lunch meat... he did take it though... and i never saw him again...
well, zip---you did could... (as, no one can complain that no one cared, as it was clear that someone, you, did, at there moment in time)
:)
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KuntryKlimber
Mountain climber
Rock Hill, SC
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:58pm PT
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i was hammered outside of a bar in north carolina eating a pizza and a homeless guy asked me for change. i went to hand him a slice to which he replied "lemme explain somethin to you, that's like me puttin my hands on YOUR food". i kept my pizza.
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Dr. Rock
Ice climber
http://tinyurl.com/4oa5br
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Dec 10, 2008 - 01:58pm PT
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San Francisco is a good place to panhandle.
Knew a guy who kept a small kitten in the dumpster.
Pulls it out when he begs, says it brings in ten times the money as without the cat cause people are suckers for small animals, but not homeless people.
He was pulling down about $1000 a month, not bad if you do not have to pay rent.
More often than not, at the beggar who gets into his caddy is about a 1 out of 1000 type of occurence.
Spell check on occurence please.
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apogee
climber
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Dec 10, 2008 - 02:33pm PT
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"His advise; "don't worry so much about being cheated. The point is its good for YOU to learn to open your hand and let go."
Don't use the experience as an excuse to close your hand tight. You'll only be the loser."
Word.
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