Nathan Exposed » Deaf Man, Will Travel

Oh, the joy of beggars.

Last week, one of my clients took a few of his employees and me out to lunch at a place near downtown Nashville. While we were eating at our table, a supposedly “deaf” man walked up to all of us and handed us cards that asked for a cash donation. He threw in a random “UHHHH” just to seem believable. It had no relevance, I guess he was just grunting? Or maybe he was reciting one of the many rap songs on the radio that start out with people grunting… again, for no reason.

The client and his employees all picked up the cards and read them compassionately. I ignored the card, not even reading it, and continued eating my lunch. I was completely un-phased and immune to any form of begging.

Everyone at the table was shocked at how nonchalant and “uncaring” I was.

Sorry, that’s just how I feel. Rodney and I make plenty of donations to reputable organizations that feed the homeless. I am not about to whip out my wallet and give cash to someone, who could easily snatch the whole thing out of my hands and be out the door before I could blink. No way.

He came back around, angry that nobody had their money out, and stuck out his hand to demand that we give back his cards. Done.

Fast forward to this weekend. I was getting groceries in the town we live in… 45 minutes away from where I had lunch with my client. I turned around and came eye to eye with the SAME “deaf” man. He let out his “UHHHH” sound and tried to hand me the card. I rolled my eyes and said “Not you again” and walked away.

I got the distinct impression he heard me too.

He then proceeded to go through the aisles, harassing customers and trying to grab food out of their carts.

Do I need to point out what’s wrong with this situation? It doesn’t matter if he takes food out of their carts, because it hasn’t been paid for. He wouldn’t get out of the store with it anyway, so why would he go through the carts taking food? It’s the same stuff that’s on the shelves.

Let’s not forget the most important question either: How is our deaf friend getting from one place to the other, and where does he intend to store all the cash and food once he gets it?

I write this post with humor, not cruelty. I have plenty of care and compassion for people who are in need of food or money. But come on… this story has scam written all over it.

Sun, Jan 27, 2008 @ 10:21 pm | Filed in Humor | Permalink

8 Comments

But, you have to admit he’s trying really hard to get some attention to him self… I find it really funny though, he’ll probably store all his food/money on some corner, (wow that sounds really mean) anywho nice story

Posted by David on Sun, Jan 27, 2008 @ 11:26 pm

That happened to me a few months ago. Only it was more of a homeless guy near Broadway wanting money. Of course, I just continued to walk on down the road.

Posted by Chip on Mon, Jan 28, 2008 @ 6:11 am

I have, over the years, seen many people with signs on the side of the road asking for work, or will work for food. I was living in San Antonio during the eighties when unemployment was high and there was a number of people around the city holding up signs, “will work for food”. I never passed anyone of them by without offering work, I was the VP of operations for a food manufacturer and we always had lots of menial work to do. Only twice in the hundreds of times that I offered did any of the people take me up on my offer of work. Later, a local TV station exposed the whole begging thing as a scam. I’m with you, I don’t hand out guilt money to anyone.

Posted by James on Mon, Jan 28, 2008 @ 6:25 am

I agree with you 100% in the scam notion…but it happens from the TOP of global corporations on a day-to-day basis too. And don’t forget that you and I could one day be in the same position of begging…we have no clue what tomorrow brings. But we wouldn’t scam, would we? We’d just be honest and say WE NEED MONEY…HAND IT OVER! But I must say that if I honestly believe that I should, indeed, hand over a $1 bill, and DON”T DO IT, then I’m the wrong one. I must be honest to the soul of my own spirit and do what I believe is right…or I’m then wrong. Handin over $$ isn’t inherently wrong, in and of it’s own. Reminds me of a post from long ago:

http://spiritofsaintlewis.blogspot.com/…

Posted by Lewis on Mon, Jan 28, 2008 @ 9:14 am

OOps, I forgot…having said all that I did in the last post: I was in front of the grocery store a while back when a younger girl with a child carrier was asking for money. The carrier was all wrapped up in a blanket so you couldn’t see the baby. I said, “Oh sure, here you go…and started to hand her $$$”…and I bent down to “just get a peek” of the baby…I pulled back the corner of the blanket and NO BABY IN THERE! I was furious….and told her off but good. So, see, I can go either way! (That doesn’t sound too good, does it??)

Posted by Lewis on Mon, Jan 28, 2008 @ 9:18 am

I don’t do it either. Like you said we also give to various charities each year and there is only so much we can do. I am sorry that people are homeless etc. but I can’t help all of them. I’ve tried the one where you say okay fine how about I go in and by you something to eat and the next thing you know they’re telling you to F-off. Or once a woman asked for a dollar and I said sorry no I don’t have one and then she said how about change for a five and I went hesterical. I said if I don’t have a dollar i sure don’t have change for a five and besides if you have a five why do you need a dollar from me? Well she went you F’ing MotherFer etc. I just walked away and laughed.

Posted by Tony on Mon, Jan 28, 2008 @ 3:24 pm

The deaf beggars that I have come in contact with seem to be a little more crafty than the one you encountered. The one’s around here typically have something they are trying to sell something nominal like a pen (the cheap one’s that come 100 to a pack for a buck) or a key chain made of leather and beads. They frequent restaurants and lay their crafts on each table and let you read their card. After you’ve had enough time to read, they come back to collect their crafts or money.

I have to agree with you, I would rather donate to a charity (if for nothing else than the tax deduction) than give the money to a total stranger. At least by donating the money, you know that there is a committee to decide how to spend the money and who gets it. The last thing I want to do is fuel someone’s drug or alcohol addiction.

That also reminds me. We had a guy come into work asking to wash people’s cars in January mind you. The first time he came in his story was that he needed to make enough money to rent a hotel room for his kids for the night. Today when he came in, the brand new muffler that he put on his car Saturday was apparently faulty and he needed a new muffler. But the funny thing about it is that he said he started his car outside his house when the muffler blew up on Saturday.

I don’t care if I sound heartless, I have better things to spend my money on.

Posted by Daniel on Mon, Jan 28, 2008 @ 11:47 pm

HELP! WILL WORK FOR: A 6′, decently-or-averagely built, fun-loving guy, who will and can cook approx once per week, clean up after himself, doesn’t act or sound like a girl, enjoys college sports, and will be happy to go out with his friends without me once in a while and allow me to do the same with any un-warrented drama. I am a veteran, if that makes you feel better about your giving…. really… I am…. that’s true…

Posted by dc on Sat, Feb 2, 2008 @ 10:40 pm