by Buddy Netter

Created on: April 14, 2009

Who Are the Street People, Anyway?

We see them all around us. They are in parking lots with their signs, "Will Work For Food" or "Please Help, Even a Smile Will Do" or other innovative ways to advertise that they are seeking a money donation. Some do not have signs but approach you as you walk to and from a store, some asking for extra change, some with specific reasons they are seeking money from strangers. Are these people legit, or are they scammers?

Once I was accosted by a young man in a wheelchair. I had seen him in the parking lot of my local grocery when I drove in and parked. Before going inside to shop, I made a mental note to myself to watch for him when I drove from the store, as something just told me that he might try to get behind my car and cause me to back into him so that he could sue me.

I completed my shopping and scanned the parking lot for "wheelchair man" before heading for my car. I didn't see him and loaded and closed my trunk. I walked to the side of my car to get in, and the man in the wheelchair had somehow managed to position himself directly in front of the door on the driver's side of my car. Holy Moley, I thought to myself, what now?

The young man assured me that he was harmless, just badly in need of a drink. He launched into a sob story about how he had arrived in town and fallen out of a third story hotel window on his first night here. He was, he said, currently staying with a Christian couple who wouldn't let him drink alcohol. He had no money, but really needed that drink. Would I go in and buy him a bottle of booze? I looked like such a nice lady, wouldn't I help him?

I advised him that I would not buy him alcohol, but if he was hungry, I would be glad to go back into the store and buy him a sandwich. He continued to tell me just how desperate and needy he was, trying to get on his feet, but he had a run of bad luck and just needed to drink away some of his troubles. I continued to tell him that drinking wouldn't accomplish anything and even ventured to tell him that he was very lucky compared to some, that he was young, that he was not permanently injured, and finally even added that I, myself, was a two-time cancer survivor, my point being that we do get past seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our lives. Nothing I said mattered, and he continued to try to convince me to buy him that bottle. I continued to tell him no and asked if I could please get into my car. We were at a standstill. I was afraid to try to move his wheelchair

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