"Strays"

[AprilShowerz]

When I was in Washington DC a couple of months ago, I spent some time taking sandwiches to homeless people in the parks. It seemed like people were constantly helping me out, so whenever I had money for food, I always made sure to share.

One day I took sandwiches to a group of homeless men outside of the bus station and one of the employees walked by and commented "don't feed them, they will just come back" He made it sound like I was feeding stray dogs not people. I couldn't believe that he had the nerve to say that, and loud enough for the homeless guys to hear. They weren't even asking for anything, I offered because I happened to be walking by.

[ceo]

Thank you for sharing your story and sandwiches. Any one; be it a homeless street person or a traveler appreciates a gift of kindness. As with most big cities they are trying to sweep the homeless under the rug (out of sight - out of mind). Peace.

CEO

[GarlicBreath]

[quote:1550c910a1="AprilShowerz"]
One day I took sandwiches to a group of homeless men outside of the bus station and one of the employees walked by and commented "don't feed them, they will just come back" He made it sound like I was feeding stray dogs not people. .[/quote:1550c910a1]

I hear that sentiment a LOT out here in California, it's even used half-jokingly by the land-owner here. He's taken in "strays" or "stray cats" and except for me, it's never worked out. A good friend of his is always taking in "strays" and they NEVER work out for him. I'm the only "stray" that's been worth having around.

The frustrating thing is that a lot of people who are homeless don't have anything wrong with them, but a lot DO. In my own case I'm in my late 40s and can't do the heavy physical work I could in my 20s or I'd be out picking fruit all day. And, since I lost my business and all that, I'm REALLY leery of "on the books" work. So I appear to be very work-shy. This is OK with the land-owner here since he's a survivalist nut like I am, and we both anticipate when there's even less formal work than there is now. So I'm work-shy: Unlike others who are work-shy, I don't expect anyone to pull my wagon for me, I just arrange my life so I don't need to spend much, and get by on what work I can find. The last "strays" he had in here, in this very hooch in fact, were work-shy but expected him to feed them, keep the place heated with space heaters, etc. They probably cost the land-owner $1000 a month! Expensive pets! I'm more like a good dog. I eat a little, but more than pay for it by usefulness.

So everyone, it seems, has these horror stories about homeless folks they've tried to help. Take someone like me, oldish, sore-backed, work-shy, add in maybe alcoholism, a weed habit, cigs for sure, traumatized, maybe a kid or three in tow or a felony conviction, maybe hiding out from child-support payments and can't get a job because they're garnishable. This is what most "stray cats" will bring to the table.

Using the term "strays" or "stray cats" IS kind of cruel, but the parallels are amazing. And as KaBar has noted, how can you take people who've grown up thinking they're entitled and teach 'em to keep a clean camp, pull their weight, be useful? Most haven't worked with their hands in their lives.

[KaBar]

It's true, there are a lot of people out there who aren't poor, they just think they're entitled to live off other people's work. And then there's the hobos, tramps and homeless bums, too, LOL.

I've pretty much worked and supported myself since I was about 18 or 19. Before that, I lived at my parent's home, but I tried to be as self-supporting as I could be. I didn't own any kind of car until I was about 20, and that one was a $375 Volkswagen Kombi microbus that I lived in. I rode a 10-speed Puegeot bicycle (that I bought with my own money) nearly everywhere.

I see people that have every appearance of being 100% healthy and fit who are out flying a sign on the street corner. They look well-barbered and well-dressed. They have no gear: no ruck, no bindle, they're wearing expensive Nike sandals (not going to hump far in those I'm afraid) and yet they are putting on this "poor, pitiful me" routine. "Please Help, Lost my job, Disabled Vet, Cancer, God Bless You Anything Helps."

Give me a freakin' break. These people live in an apartment and they're doing just fine. They're just too damned lazy to work. It's easier to beg. And more profitable. They get cash money, pay no taxes, and are drawing Welfare and Food Stamps that YOU AND I PAY FOR.

Screw them. I don't give a thing to anybody who isn't carrying genuine road gear and has the obvious appearance of being a genuine tramp and road dog. The phoney townies can bite me.

[fwiw]

I used to give out sandwiches in Boston. Some people were afraid to take them because people try to kill them by feeding them rat poison. It's so depressing to think that people actually do that to helpless homeless people.

[SouthSign]

Hey fwiw,

did you ever give out sandwiches in Boston?

[fwiw]

Yea I did it three winters in a row back when I was in highschool