Austinist: Truesday: Taken To Task

Shirioki

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:08:22 -0600

I got scammed in Austin about 4 years ago by an old woman with a scab on her hand. She approached me and I made the mistake of stopping. "Excuse me, I just got out of the hospital," (shows me her souvenir wristband along with scabby hand.) "I have gang green and my medicare won't cover the medication. If I don't get the medicine, I will lose my hand." (Her eyes welled up a little) Who could say no to that?! She got my $10. I was so sad the rest of the day because I wanted to do more. She stopped me not even one week later with the same story. I later learned that the "gang green" con became popular in NY post-Vietnam. Key is not to stop...

austinaimee

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:51:54 -0600

That's awesome! Seriously! He arrived 6 months ago - Katrina was 2 1/2 years ago? And I am not being insensitive, I worked as a Katrina Case Manager. (I am super sensitive.) Thanks for the "heads-up" on this man. I wouldn't have fallen prey of the money scam, but I would have hated the manipulative behavior, berating me, unknowingly, when I said no to the money.

Chris Trew

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:54:48 -0600

Once I gave a guy at the bus station 5 bucks to help him buy a ticket to New Orleans (where I was also going). He told me some stories about where he used to work, all places I was familiar with, and I was excited to talk to him on the bus that he never got on. I thought I had purchased a friend.

Maximillian24

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:54:37 -0600

"Admittedly, I was a tad inebriated (but the night had just begun!" I think I would believe this guy needed some pants before I believe you were a "tad" inebriated. I am just saying..... Of course I am only joking. I think this guy has gotten me a few times. His story sounds familiar in a red river middle of the night kind of way. Good seeing you at the vice party. Trying to keep up with all the irish was tough. They were drinking guiness at breakfast!

Tarvin

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:51:34 -0600

I think this dude tried to hit me up in the parking lot at Gold's Gym at 183 and Burnet, about a year ago. I didn't give him anything. It's against my personal policy. There's no such thing as spare change. It's all money to me.

KatintheHat

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:49:23 -0600

August/September 2007. Leaving Hoover's on the East Side. Same guy, asking for money for his black slacks. Fortunately my friends and I are weirdos and shun cash in favor of debit cards, so they were really able to say they had no cash. And yes, he was angry and stomped away as if we didn't BELIEVE him. (I noticed him spot us from across the street before my friends knew what was going on, so I hid behind some of them to deflect myself from angry conning wrath.) I'm shocked that guy is still using the same line 8 months later.

seth

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:37:46 -0600

Looks like some people are waking up to what and what isn't 'charity.' If you talk to anyone involved in the ARCH, etc. they'll tell you that these panhandlers are not working within the system because they don't want to. They want to stay OUT of the shelter because they can't bring their drugs or booze in there. Handing out money to panhandlers is enabling them to continue their unhealthy lifestyle. Seth

Iron Clad Ben

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:05:15 -0600

I gave that guy a dollar. I generally carry around a box of granola bars in my car. That way when they come up to me at a stoplight, I can just give them food instead of money. That way you know they're not spending it on drugs, cigarettes or booze.

themo

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:49:41 -0600

i gave that dude my only dollar last night. i thought i was being nice, he didn't seem to think the only dollar in my wallet was good enough.

LoudMouth

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:01:50 -0600

If you want to help homeless people, don't give them money, give them a chance to use your toilet. That guy reminds me of the really angry homeless man that sat beside Wendy's on Congress and 7th who would demand money from you but refuse hamburgers and then yell at the top of his lungs at you that he needs money. Why the hell would anyone give something to someone that's yelling at you? I don't care how much you want people to like you, you lose your own dignity when you allow anyone to yell at you.

mdahmus

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:48:46 -0600

I just wish more of the uber-liberal homeless-as-noble-savage types would get this type of education. The ones asking you for money are precisely the ones you shouldn't be 'help'ing... Thanks for the endorsement for my crackplog. Extra-boring transit content up today!

truecraig

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:44:43 -0600

$6? An extra dollar? Inflation. To be fair, there's been panhandling downtown for as long as I can remember. Dudes have been "escorting" cars into parking spots for at least 13 years now, it's only the areas of concentration which have changed. But I am curious as to where the new level of boldness comes from? I could speculate, but I honestly have no clue. Anyone study this kind of thing?

unamused

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:39:02 -0600

This same guy conned $6 off my wife Thursday night of SXSW. I tried to pull her away, but her love for NOLA kept us there until the end of his story. I have just about had it with the downtown riff raff. I haven't been to a show in at least three years where I wasn't solicited for money on the way to or from.