This morning I had to run some errands in town and went to the usual stores to get the things I needed. As I approached one of the stores, I had to veer around a white car that was parked next to the curb. I noted casually that there was a man and a heavy-set woman in the car.

Suddenly, the man got out of the car and approached me. I slowed my steps because I didn't like the looks of him...several teeth missing, shirt open to the waist, and dirty jeans. He looked like he could do with a good wash. I had my car keys in my hand and I figured they'd make a pretty good weapon if necessary. As I got closer to him, he spoke..."Excuse me, ma'am, but we're tryin' to get to Asheville, and we've only got four dollars. Can you help us out?"

I said, "Not today, buddy, sorry." I kept walking towards the store.

The man yelled at the top of his voice, 'SON OF A BITCH! AIN'T NOBODY IN THIS TOWN GONNA HELP US OUT? GODDAMN! GODDAMN! NOBODY HELPS ANYONE ANYMORE!" And he started to kick the tires on his car, which wasn't a bad-looking car, either.

When I got into the store, I told a clerk that she might want to call the police as the man was really behaving violently while trying to harrass customers approaching the store. Several other people outside the store had heard the man's loud rants and were stopped, staring at him.

I went on about my business, but I don't think the clerk ever called the police. In a few minutes, the car and its weird occupant were gone. I did not have my cell with me or I'd have called the PD myself, but I hadn't noticed a license number...the whole incident was disturbing. This kind of thing doesn't happen in our little town... so there wouldn't have been a lot of info I could've given them.

Really strange, but one doesn't start out to Asheville from my area without some resources, regardless of why one has to get there.


Catherine

ha...good thing you didn't open your wallet or purse in front of him.

you did right.

that's an old trick...it's happened to me right in asheville..i gave them some money, and they bought booze.

they looked needy..o well...

I would've done the same thing. I agree that if he'd really been on a road trip that he would've been ok $ wise from the beg. It's hard saying no when people 'are in need,' so you have to take each situation as it comes. Obviously, this was one of the right 'no' situations.

I once read a reporter's interview of a panhandler who stationed himself near a busy intersection in Charlotte. The panhandler said during the spring and summer season, he could make a lot more money than he could ever make working on a job. He spent the winter months in Florida, doing the same thing!

We were recently in Atlanta. Two pre-teens were coming up to cars and soliciting money for what the homemade sign on their box said was their soccer team. Lots of hands were coming out of sidewindows, dropping change or dollars into the box they held.

Not us....meanies that we are. We kept our windows firmly closed and shook our heads NO.

Later, I saw a couple of policemen talking to the boys but I didn't find out more.

Many, many years ago I had a friend that used to work the airport here in New York. She would wear a short dress, hair messed up, teat streaked face. She would approach men usually and asked for a couple of dollars to help her get home to her ailing mother or some other such story.

She usually left the airport with a couple of hundred bucks and would go back about four times a month. Always made money and her rent.

There is a guy who stands out on the road and I was going to give him money one day when I noticed his hands. Clean, well groomed, not a dirty finger nail on him. I asked him where he lived and he said he was homeless. I said "Right" and drove away.

A little unrelated to your specific story, but thought I'd share something disturbing I heard on the radio yesterday. ...The station was talking about a contest they would be having for the homeless. They would be competing for a dinner or not. Eat or not? "hahahaha" ...Real funny. Jerks.

I would have done the same as you. Maybe the man and woman did need help. That's what social services are for.

There are so many people in need--but it is a job for professional people to figure out if a person is legit or not.

Too bad you didn't have your cell with you so you could make that call to the PD yourself. If these people needed help they would have gotten it. Most likely they did not and will only move on to another site.

I believe you did the right thing, Catherine.

pull out the cell phone and tell them you're going to call the police so that they can give him help in finding assistance for his problem. lol

That certainly would tell you whether they were legit or not! Nothing would make a faker move on faster than the thought of police showing up, eh?