We’ve all talked about our encounters with the homeless here before, and recently there was a study suggesting LA is the worst big city in American when it comes to treating their disadvantaged residents. I’m not sure any city could deal with the sheer number of homeless Los Angeles has but someone else can debate that story.
So yesterday I am walking to work and find myself just about to enter Macy’s Plaza from the Flower Street entrance.
Let me interrupt the story for a second here. Have you been in this sorry ass little mall lately? Just to give you an idea of how much it sucks – the up and down escalators have been broken for two weeks now. I’m okay to walk up and down the stairs but I have to imagine some others are not.
Anyways …
So this taller man walks towards me, and says “I’m sorry sir, I don’t mean to startle you”
Well you didn’t startle me since you walked directly at me.
“My name is Raymond and I am a Christian”
Okay …. Raymond. Not sure why we are sharing our religious beliefs two seconds into our conversation but okay.
“I’ve just arrived from Tennessee and I’m trying to get to Riverside”
At this point I am trying to think if I know where Riverside is, and I don’t.
“Again, I’m sorry but I didn’t mean to startle you”
Again, you didn’t startle me but I appreciate your apologetic nature.
At this point I know there is some kind of story coming where the end result is Raymond asking me for money. Look, I have a tremendous amount of compassion for the homeless but I simply cannot afford to shell out a couple of dollars every time someone downtown asks. Especially these days when you offer someone a dollar and they say “Can you give me $5 instead?”.
Usually by this point I would have politely said that I couldn’t help the guy but I had not for some reason. This is where things take a turn.
“I’m trying to get to Riverside because my sister just died giving birth to twins yesterday”
It’s terrible that I don’t believe this guy because there is probably a 5% chance his story is true and if it was that’s terrible. However, I’ve lived in Chicago and Los Angeles long enough to know that the other 95% is closer to the truth.
I told Raymond that I was sorry and couldn’t help him.
“Did I tell you I have cancer and I’m trying to get there to see my sisters babies? She died during child birth”
Finally I said I was sorry and that I was late before walking away.
I know in my heart there’s a 99% chance this guy was full of it and on the off chance the 1% prevails here than I am really sorry. However, I’m hit with some kind of story every time I walk out of our place and can’t tell the real stories from the guy wanting to scrounge up enough money to buy himself a drink.
I hate situations like that. Whenever a homeless person asks me for money, I offer to buy them food. However, the last time that happened to me was in front of Subway, and the guy gave me specific instructions of what he wanted on his sandwich. I was a little surprised!
You made the right decision. It’s the oldest scam going.
Sure, he’s going to Riverside. He’s in a mall in downtown LA.
Riverside isn’t exactly too far away. If I was broke and I needed to go somewhere, I’d be hoofing it eastbound toward Riverside. And while on the way, maybe scrounging up some change for the bus.
How did he hear of the “bad news” if he’s homeless, broke and without a phone? Give me a break.
I hear this same thing all the time: “Gotta visit my Parole Officer in Lancaster.”
“Need to visit my dying [mother/sister/brother/son/beloved aunt] in Torrance.”
“Must get to Riverside ASAP.”
The best part is when you deny them the money and they say “Well, can you at least point me in the right direction and tell me how far it is so I know how long it will take to get there?”
The absolute worst is when they start out by saying “Can I ask you a question?” and then proceed to try to guilt you into forking over some money. I don’t give anything to anyone, ever.