About a month back, I wrote concerning a man who I thought was faking his case and trying to extort money from myself, as well as other passers-by... where my refusal to "help him" had me declared unchristian.
I got another of those people yesterday morning. Boy, they come out of the woodwork and never seem to stop these days.
Immediately upon getting out of the car, this overweight man who actually looked healthy enough passed me a long-winded note, which stated he had just been released from the local hospital (here we go again) after a "horrific" car accident, and that he needed a total of $118.00 worth of bus fare to get home to Huntsville, AL. He claimed to have $83 of it but needed the passers-by to contribute the other $35.
Why was it in a note? It claimed that the accident claimed his ability to talk verbally, and everything had to be done via notes or mime.
I told him I was sorry, but after I bought my items at the Speedway gas station, that I would be broke. He snatched the note from me and wrote "every little bit counts". Well, this was proof positive that he wasn't deaf, which meant he should've been able to talk. I repeated what I said and went into the store. There were three others in line to get gas and he immediately went to each of them - I was able to duck out of there when he was on the other end of the property.
A recent, horrific accident? There was not one bandage on this guy. There was no limp in his walk, no arm in a sling, no facial cuts or even bruises. Just the fact that he couldn't talk, supposedly. In fact, in chatting with the clerk inside, she told me he tried to hit her up for money, and that followed a lady from a few days before who blatantly tried to hit up for money to support her cocaine habit (fortunately, the police nabbed her).
I almost suggested the clerk call the police again, but since I didn't want to be saddled with another problem, I left the matter to them because I had a job to go to.
This is crazy. This is an area surrounding the nation's 11th busiest airport, with police stations within a mile, the Airport Authority within half a mile, and this area appears as run-down as a classic skid row area. And to think that just to the north of this area, planners & architects are planning a multi-million dollar aeropark, casino and horse raceway?
As mentioned above, today I begin afternoon shifts again. Hopefully, the silver lining strikes in the form of no more confrontations like this. I'll have the heart to help the proper person... but sadly, these people are so far removed.
