St Louis Homeless and Panhandlers

kleancut · PostMay 07, 2010#12262010-05-07T14:02+00:00

i love when crack folks ask me for money,
before they can get out a bogus story, i say "hey can i have a dollar".
then theyre really confused. and processed explain, theyre the ones that really need a dollar for X reason. then I explain I need a dollar for the same X reason. at this point they dont knwo whats going on, and give up and walk away.

So they walk away, and i had some 30 seconds entertainment.
bam. two birds, one stone. try it.

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 07, 2010#12272010-05-07T14:40+00:00

campbv wrote:One day last week, while loading my groceries into my car at the Lindell Schnucks, a woman approached me and asked for money for gas to get home. She said she had her groceries in her car but didn't have enough gas to get home. Of course, I turned her down. Tonight I was a block away at Office Depot and the same woman approached me with the same request, except she added that she didn't know if her kids had been picked up. Again, I turned her down. Both times she pointed across the parking lot and stated that her car was, "Right over there." If she approaches me at Walgreens next week I'm going to tell her to start working a different corner.

When I had occasion to visit that store fairly regularly about 2-3 years ago, there was a lady bum who hung out in the parking lot. If she started walking toward me as I went to my car, I would change directions. She would follow. I would change directions again. Pretty soon, I was walking her all over the parking lot. It was quite fun!

Probably the same person.

PostMay 07, 2010#12282010-05-07T14:41+00:00

kleancut wrote:i love when crack folks ask me for money,
before they can get out a bogus story, i say "hey can i have a dollar".
then theyre really confused. and processed explain, theyre the ones that really need a dollar for X reason. then I explain I need a dollar for the same X reason. at this point they dont knwo whats going on, and give up and walk away.

So they walk away, and i had some 30 seconds entertainment.
bam. two birds, one stone. try it.

I used to work with a guy who did this. The baffled looks were worth it!

campbv · PostMay 07, 2010#12292010-05-07T17:07+00:00

Great suggestions, I'm sure I'll get a chance to try these out. It won't be long before I see her or one of her co-workers out and about.

timeforguinness · PostMay 07, 2010#12302010-05-07T17:50+00:00

Anyone remember "Duckman" in the loop about ~15 years ago? He was my favorite. He'd always sit out near the Tivoli with a Duck puppet and ask for money and smokes.

Duckman: "Hey man, can you spare a dollar? My duck friend would like a beer"
Me: "Sure, Duckman"
Duckman: "You know, he doesn't like to drink alone, can you spare me a dollar so I can drink with him?"
Me: (cracking up) "Sure"
Duckman: "Hey, my duck friend here was wondering if he could bum a smoke?"
Me: "Sure...anything for a duck down on his luck"
Duckman: "Thanks, you know...he doesn't like to smoke alone..."
Me: (cracking up again) "Here you go, have a good night"

(quack quack)

downtown2007 · PostMay 07, 2010#12312010-05-07T22:53+00:00

I hardly ever give them money but if they were creative and worked for it like Duckman I would be more inclined to give them something.

kleancut · PostMay 08, 2010#12322010-05-08T15:14+00:00

^ Giving them money goes stright to booze and crack.

it doesnt help them a bit.

Ive talked to many homeless folks. Ive ask how do they get money. Majority said from "hustling". "what are you hustling?" i ask.
Theyre hustling YOU!

anyone who gives money to homeless folks are fools.

zink · PostMay 08, 2010#12332010-05-08T16:30+00:00

If anyone "feels bad" Just donate to the St. Patrick's Center downtown.
http://www.stpatrickcenter.org/Donation ... onNow.aspx

dweebe · PostMay 24, 2010#12342010-05-24T15:53+00:00

That's it: I'm done with using the Bank of America ATM at the Gravois/Sidney location. For the third time in a row while waiting in line or while using the ATM I've gotten panhandled. The last time the b*stard walked up and knocked on my window.

And it's not like I'm rolling up in a BMW or Lexus at 2 in the morning. This sh*t happens weekdays and weekends during daylight hours.

what4 · PostAug 17, 2010#12352010-08-17T14:27+00:00

So I had the top down enjoying the cool morning air and was using the Pine Street ramp to get onto 64/40 W this morning... As I passed under Market St. I see a homeless woman sautering out from underneath the overpass naked! I guess she was enjoying the cool morning breeze as well. I've seen it all now.

zun1026 · PostAug 20, 2010#12362010-08-20T04:09+00:00

what4 - that was both funny and sad at the same time.

Once a former boss was approached by a homeless man asking for money to by food because he was so hungry. So my boss told him to wait there, walked over to McDonalds and bought him a meal. The guy had the audacity to say thats not what I ordered, grabbed the bag and walked away.

I once was walking around the Gateway Mall and a homeless man approached me to ask what I was doing. Anyway he gave me the low down on who was panhandling to get money for drugs, who was mentally ill and how he had never been homeless before and was recently laid off. The guy actually said I don't want any money. He was to ashamed to accept it. I guess the moral of the story is there is a "mixed-bag" of stories out there.

gone corporate · PostAug 20, 2010#12372010-08-20T08:13+00:00

Tonight I helped a friend move out of his place Downtown (note: probable to return to StL), and he passed along to me some of his leftover foods in his kitchen along with a package to send UPS tomorrow.

As I was walking home, Sumdood walked up & asked me for some money for some food.

Having a full loaf of bread on top of the package to send UPS, I told him to grab the bread, which he did, and to enjoy & do what he please with it.

Confused, and more than a little upset, he looked at me and said, "What, don't you have any meat? No cheese with this? You got some at home? Well how far away do you live? Give me some meat."

I asked him if he would want to take the bread and, if not, that he give it back to me. Now.

Understanding now, he pulled the bread close & walked away to some other dude, asking him for money instead.

justme123 · PostAug 20, 2010#12382010-08-20T13:45+00:00

dweebe wrote:That's it: I'm done with using the Bank of America ATM at the Gravois/Sidney location. For the third time in a row while waiting in line or while using the ATM I've gotten panhandled. The last time the b*stard walked up and knocked on my window.

And it's not like I'm rolling up in a BMW or Lexus at 2 in the morning. This sh*t happens weekdays and weekends during daylight hours.

Lest anyone think this is a "city issue" -
There's a guy with a little girl (maybe 5?) who trolls the parking lot at Boone's Crossing / Chesterfield Commons / whatever (the mega-strip-mall that everyone loves to hate) with a story about needing money for gas to get home.

what4 · PostAug 20, 2010#12392010-08-20T17:04+00:00

zun1026 wrote:what4 - that was both funny and sad at the same time.

Once a former boss was approached by a homeless man asking for money to by food because he was so hungry. So my boss told him to wait there, walked over to McDonalds and bought him a meal. The guy had the audacity to say thats not what I ordered, grabbed the bag and walked away.

I once was walking around the Gateway Mall and a homeless man approached me to ask what I was doing. Anyway he gave me the low down on who was panhandling to get money for drugs, who was mentally ill and how he had never been homeless before and was recently laid off. The guy actually said I don't want any money. He was to ashamed to accept it. I guess the moral of the story is there is a "mixed-bag" of stories out there.

sometimes honesty is the best policy...

campbv · PostJan 26, 2011#12402011-01-26T00:06+00:00

I was leaving the Chinese restaurant in the Schnucks strip mall on Lindell this evening when the same woman who has approached me twice prior giving the same story about her "kids are in the car right over there" and she "just needs gas money to get them home." I told her this was the third time she has given me that story in the past six months. Her response was, well I don't get my check until the first of the month.

the central scrutinizer · PostJan 26, 2011#12412011-01-26T00:09+00:00

campbv wrote:I was leaving the Chinese restaurant in the Schnucks strip mall on Lindell this evening when the same woman who has approached me twice prior giving the same story about her "kids are in the car right over there" and she "just needs gas money to get them home." I told her this was the third time she has given me that story in the past six months. Her response was, well I don't get my check until the first of the month.

Why do you even talk to her?

I think I used to see the same one. I would toy with her - as I was walking to my car, I would see her walk toward me. I would change directions and she would follow. I would walk all over the parking lot, forcing her to follow me. It was a hoot!

campbv · PostJan 26, 2011#12422011-01-26T00:12+00:00

Good idea. Maybe I'll ask her for a handout while I'm at it!

jakektu · PostJan 26, 2011#12432011-01-26T02:29+00:00

My least favorite regular is Black Barbie.

Anyone else familiar with him?

campbv · PostJan 26, 2011#12442011-01-26T03:57+00:00

Don't think I know him! What corner does he "work?"

jakektu · PostJan 26, 2011#12452011-01-26T15:14+00:00

He's a character that gets around. I've seen him in Soulard, Maplewood, CWE. Always the same story about how he's just a harmless little black barbie and had a fight with his boyfriend and needs money for the bus. I've seen him counting his $ in his purse, he appears to make a decent living 'working'.

Sent from my AT&T iPhone using Tapatalk

moorlander · PostJan 26, 2011#12462011-01-26T15:18+00:00

We need pics Jake!

southsidepride · PostJan 26, 2011#12472011-01-26T15:30+00:00

I got hit up by Black Barbie on S. Grand. When I was walking home from Soulard Market one Saturday last summer I crossed the street to avoid him. While he was giving his spiel to a group of unsuspecting pedestrians a woman pulled up and told them not to give a dime to this fraud. Black Barbie's voice suddenly got deep as he said "oh sh*t" and slinked away.

Busted!

the central scrutinizer · PostJan 26, 2011#12482011-01-26T15:45+00:00

There used to be an old lady downtown years ago who always wanted a dollar for the bus. Based on how many fools I saw giving her money, it wouldn't surprise me if she made $100 a day. I imagine she's dead by now.

tge-atw · PostJan 26, 2011#12492011-01-26T16:39+00:00

Frank McEwan, aka Todd, aka "black Barbie" has been banned as a condition of his parole from the South Grand Business District (from Choteau to Gravois) since this past fall. This is based on a Neighborhood Protection Order pursued by the neighborhood associations aldermen, and business association. I think he may also be banned from TGE, TGS, and Fox Park. If anyone sees him in this area, call the cops, they'll pick him up for a parole violation.

southsidepride · PostJan 26, 2011#12502011-01-26T16:52+00:00

^good to hear! If I see him in Soulard again I will check and see if the same order has been issued in the 7th ward--and if not I will see what can be done to see that it is.

St Louis Homeless and Panhandlers

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