Fifteen Dollars

Jason B.

Jason B.

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
11,168
What does $15 mean to you?

Is it gas for the morning commute, hourly wage, or maybe a bite to eat at your favorite diner? Now, I am by no means rich or will I ever be, but before today $15 was pocket change, a day's lunch or just a sign I needed to go to the ATM.

It was a normal day at work in metro Detroit, my work as an Abatement contractor requires local travel to which I see many diverse cultures and communities. I see it all from the most run down to the richest areas and everything in between. In recent times there has been an influx of panhandling to areas where it's not normally found, smart really, moving in to an area of more wealth is always better for business. Unfortunately, it can be seen in most there is a drug or alcohol problem that has driven them to this way of life and no matter how much you want to you must be thick skinned and not contribute to one's self destruction. I'm sure if you live near a big city you can relate.

It was an early day today, had to remediate some mold in an attic and it get's dangerously hot by Noon so we start early when it cooler. After a morning of complaining about our jobs and how hot and dirty the work was we packed up and headed home to prep for a new day. We were in a nicer area and on the way to the highway while waiting at the stop light I noticed an older man standing by the side of the road. I was caught off guard because he was wearing a striped suit and an American flag tie yet holding a white sign with black hand written words. He was too old and too nicely dressed to be panhandling but the sign read "US Navy VET" and some other words that I failed to read. I knew something was different here but the light turned green and the traffic was starting to flow so I had no choice but to go. I was turning so I looped into the parking lot next to the road he was standing by but realized that I only had $6 in my wallet, my brother sitting next to me was reaching for the little bit of cash he had on had and together it totaled $15. I almost felt ashamed that I had such a small amount of cash to give to this man but felt compelled to do something. As I approached he turned to me and extended his hand greeting me with a handshake, he told me he was waiting for his VA benefits to start back up on the 1st but had to do something until then. I handed him the $15 and said it's not much but hopefully it will help. He instantly said "this is a lot of money, are you sure?" I almost didn't know what to say, I was choked up and half crying but said "please take it". There was no shame in this mans eyes, it was all gratitude and determination, he told me he could feed his family (probably him and his wife) for 5 days with this money. 5 Days? I thought to myself, I can hardly make it half a day on $15 and here I have given this man 5 days without worry of where his next meal will come from?

We spoke for a moment more before I headed back to the truck, with emotions running high and a thousand thoughts flowing through my head I broke down when I reached the driver seat. I cried like a baby, surging with anger and confusion as to how this could happen. This man has done everything right, served his country and only asked to be taken care of as promised by the government he risked his life for.

I couldn't stop thinking of the measly $15, I couldn't stop thinking of how I take for granted what I have and how small my problems really are. I realized I could probably make do with a lot less.

So I end it here with my small story of a man who probably changed my life as much as I changed his, all for $15 and 2 minutes of my time.
 
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Great story Jason. My church group volunteers at local shelters and it is a humbling experience. I keep trying to remind myself that my problems are pretty petty compared to what many others are going thru.
 
I understand your feelings about giving the $15. I think that was quite generous of you personally.

My experiences are largely negative with homeless or "near homeless". I have offered to give money if they would help work around my house and we're talking about more than $15. I would even feed them. Forget that, it's work. I have given money to help people out of a claimed bind with an offer to pay me back as soon as they can.... you never see the money again. I have lots of compassion but little trust of these people.

The problem is that you can't tell which ones are honest and which ones are dishonest and will tell you anything to get you to hand them money. Trust. Enough people of this category own me thousands of dollars that I seldom will even offer $1 any more.

I have offered to buy them lunch and most say no. They want the cash which makes me suspicious.
 
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22-rimfire said:
I have lots of compassion but little trust of these people.
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OP you seem like you got the real deal but I have to agree with this. I don't give any money out to people on the street. My wife and I have helped people out and have given food. I will not give money.
 
My one worker almost always gives money to these apparently unfortunate people. I don't any more. But three hours later, the worker asks me for money. Can't win. I give it and dock their pay.
 
In my part of woods, cash=drugs. I would buy people food/groceries or clothes. Maybe a gift card but no cash. Jason, I know you are smart and wouldn't give to a shady cause. But I have to be careful where I am.
 
In most cases, the money is for drugs or alcohol. Quite a few are drug addicts or alcoholics which is in part why they are in the situation they're in. Many are retarded. Then there are the ones that you see every day, it never stops. Fox News did a piece on the homeless on the street and pan handling. In one case that I recall, the "homeless" finished his stint asking for money and walked over an embankment to his car (more expensive than mine) and then proceeded to drive home to a regular house as nice as mine. Pan handling was their tax free job. I'll let the church groups and other organizations do the helping along with Uncle Sam.
 
I have given a man money exactly twice. Once was in front of a supermarket. I had just come out and a neatly dressed man approached me, obviously embarrassed. He asked if he could borrow a couple of dollars to buy a sandwich. He had been laid off and was totally broke. I gave him $3. He offered to give me his info and said that he would pay me back when he found work. I told him not to bother. He went into the store. I waited a couple of minutes and followed him. He immediately went to the deli counter and bought a sandwich and a drink. When he left, I told him that I checked to see what he did. I gave him another $3 and wished him luck. (This was around 1990. $3 could buy a pretty good sandwich.)

I do not give money to those people who sit at the entrance to parking lots with cardboard signs. They probably make more money than I do.
 
Yes. When my mother was receiving chemo for lung cancer at a downtown Toronto hospital .... we got through the blood tests early so I could wheel her out onto the streets of her youth, bought lottery tickets, bought her smokes (!).

I was housed in an old nurses residence attached to the hospital via an underground, security-managed tunnel. Mum loved my 'diggs' close by.

Every morning around five am I got coffee for mum from an all night hotel ... slipped into her room and then she tracked down the nurses to 'give blood' and following that we headed outside to real life, my mum's real life ... I always made sure to have loonies for the homeless surrounding the hospital and neighbouring church. One block, 4 Loonies .

I met homeless. Many. Very few solicited and yet rejected a meal purchased for them. There was one woman working the hospital lobby and when I offered to buy her a meal it became clear that I was invisible. No drug money. My time learning helped to differentiate.

Mum died at home. I know she enjoyed every time, as she circled the hospital in her wheelchair, we left a loonie in the hand of a homeless person.

Yes, it is hard to know ... but erring on the generous side is a gift to the gifter as well.
 
Thanks fellas,

It's rare I hand out money because I have always had to work hard for the little bit I have. I had no concerns of drug or substance abuse, this man was late 70's at best, crap like that would probably kill him. I have no doubts my actions produced nothing but positive results :thumbup:
 
I suspect you are right. But how often do you ever visit with a person who is asking for money? And of those times, how often do you believe what they say? I hear the vet stuff all the time and I think you hear it because "it works". That's so negative, but I really have not had good experiences over all handing money out. I feel "taken advantage of" almost every time. There have been a lot of times.

How about the guy asking for money at the gas station.... you have your credit or debit card out filling your tank and they ask you to fill their gas can.... I don't know. That particular one bothered me and has happened twice so far. I should have asked to see their car that had them stranded and only have another 20 or 50 miles to go to get home..... I have heard them all.
 
I apologize for my ignorance, but are food banks available in most areas in the USA?
 
Heartbreaking....I have some similar stories myself- and sadly just as many where I've seen the 'charity case' go straight into the cornershop and buy a liter of rotgut.

Yes, there are people on the street who define the word 'scumbag'- but show me a "walk of life" that doesn't?....Let's none of us forget two things:
1. A homeless person is still a person
2. There but for the grace of God go I.

If I hand someone a couple of quid, what's the worst I've lost?....When I saw a PC magazine in the newsagents selling at £9, which was 20% content and 80% ads and would probably entertain me for less than half of a short-haul flight? ;)
 
I have someone close to me who is recently retired from a dual service career of 23 years. The treatment he's received thus far is absolutely abysmal. Struggling to make it is the nicest way of putting it. Thankfully, he's able to go to school because of the post 9/11 GI bill and holding down a part time job.

I really hope the man in your story was sincere. Either way, kudos to you for taking the time to care and for posting your feelings here. It's never a bad thing to raise awareness for these veterans.
 
Jason, you're human, that's a very good sign, it's hard to ignore the destitute, but often we do. Where I live we don't see much of that but there are some, as any city will have those in such condition. I've traveled a lot over the years, seeing some hard things in foreign countries, always glad to finally get home.

One thing I do think is, we don't really KNOW the whole story, and man there are so many stories out there, a few dollars can change a person's direction, or can as you say, cause them to stay on the path of destruction. It's a tough world, I guess it's always been so.

Thanks for sharing sir,
G2
 
It's been a long, long time since I've given out money to any panhandlers. I give money to charitable organizations that I know don't use 85% of their money on salary and administration. When the mood strikes me when someone panhandles me is I would take them to the nearest food place and buy them a meal.

$15 used to be 5 meals that my wife and I would share. For $3, we could get a styrofoam container of rice, chinese vegetables, and meat (chicken, pork, or beef) off Clement and 18th Avenue in San Francisco. Or $5 would get us a seafood claypot dish at our Chinese restaurant.

Nowadays, $15 is close to what I spend on my Friday breakfasts, $9 for the early bird special - fresh scrambled eggs, medium bacon, white bread lightly toasted, and coffee plus a $5 tip for Dolores my waitress.
 
Giving money to a panhandler is a resounding NO! Helping people to change their lives is one thing, but supporting their habits through monetary "street gifts" is quite another.

Captain O
 
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