Out of gas in Murray KY on way to AZ
A guy was at Walmart trying to raise money for gas and food in a class C so some others helped out and I topped off tank. Hoping he makes it to Phoenix.
Forum Discussion
Problem is that the people who really are hard up tend to be too proud to ask. The last time I saw a truly genuine person who was out of luck was a woman with two kids who broke down at a rest stop on IH-35 near New Braunfels (all those have since been torn down due to crime.) This was almost thirty years ago before begging became something accepted.
Here in Austin, it is easy to become very hard-hearted. There is a beggar on every street corner, and someone who will rub a dirty rag on your windshield, then try to bust your mirror out when they realize they are not getting paid. Other towns around Austin just ask people to go get a soliciting/sales permit, which keeps their street corners empty and free of syringes, beer cans, and other stuff. Even the local merchants say to not give -anything- to the beggars.
I once decided to keep out of sight and, with a pair of binoculars, watch a beggar who was packing up. Well with his "lame" leg, he stumbled behind some bushes and walked across the street, magically his leg started functioning again and he was able to ride off on bike that was behind a building there, and a few blocks away, said bike went into the hatch of a new Cadillac.
The second time I realized it was a big act was when I recognized a couple begging for change on a street corner winding up at a steakhouse a few miles away, and snickering how many suckers they get, especially come holidays, busy weekends full of tourists, and Christmas.
My two cents: Give to a good charity like the Salvation Army, or something that actually helps people who truely are in need. Single mothers are not out there, and they are a lot more in need than some hippie who is calling himself a "Vietnam veteran", even though he was probably 5 when the war ended. This sounds harsh, especially at Christmas, but I'd rather see money go to find a single parent a house and their kid square meals and clothes, than to allow some fake to have another helping of filet mignon.
Here in Austin, it is easy to become very hard-hearted. There is a beggar on every street corner, and someone who will rub a dirty rag on your windshield, then try to bust your mirror out when they realize they are not getting paid. Other towns around Austin just ask people to go get a soliciting/sales permit, which keeps their street corners empty and free of syringes, beer cans, and other stuff. Even the local merchants say to not give -anything- to the beggars.
I once decided to keep out of sight and, with a pair of binoculars, watch a beggar who was packing up. Well with his "lame" leg, he stumbled behind some bushes and walked across the street, magically his leg started functioning again and he was able to ride off on bike that was behind a building there, and a few blocks away, said bike went into the hatch of a new Cadillac.
The second time I realized it was a big act was when I recognized a couple begging for change on a street corner winding up at a steakhouse a few miles away, and snickering how many suckers they get, especially come holidays, busy weekends full of tourists, and Christmas.
My two cents: Give to a good charity like the Salvation Army, or something that actually helps people who truely are in need. Single mothers are not out there, and they are a lot more in need than some hippie who is calling himself a "Vietnam veteran", even though he was probably 5 when the war ended. This sounds harsh, especially at Christmas, but I'd rather see money go to find a single parent a house and their kid square meals and clothes, than to allow some fake to have another helping of filet mignon.
