Wal-Mart Ghetto Trash Sightings

[Andara Bledin]

But these stupid panhandlers should just go out and get a JOB if they're so desperate for money.

You can make better money panhandling than you can with a low-end regular job, and you get to set your own hours.

Considering that you're supposed to have a permit to do it in most places, it essentially is a job.

I'd rather work in an air conditioned office and have medical benefits and a 401k, myself.

^-.-^

[Andrew B.]

My dad told that some car salesmen for higher end cars would tell people to park in two spaces to protect their cars from accidental dings. My dad told one such owner, who was a friend of his, that, while that might be true, it does increase the chance of people writing names on the car using their keys instead.

(I don't condone this. I am just retelling a story)

[chainedbarista]

incoming from green sinestro: flip flops where you could see six month's worth of grease and gunk under her toenails, ... Gah! Not to menion the "Hey, Raymond! We need to buy some more cheese for the burgers tonight!" from six aisles away.

madam, i believe you will find said cheese underneath your toenails.

[protege]

As a cart-pusher at "X-MART", there have been at least a dozen times in the past year that I've been aware of a bunch of idiots hanging around the parking lot and trying to panhandle change from passing customers.

I've seen quite a few people attempting to panhandle at my local Wal-Mart. I never see them at the Target store across the highway. Why? Simple reason, really--the city buses, that those tools depend on to ride into the 'burbs....don't go to Target. Throw in the feeling of being *infected* by something when in Wal-Mart...and anyone want to guess where I prefer to shop?

[Andara Bledin]

I never see them at the Target store across the highway. Why? Simple reason, really--the city buses, that those tools depend on to ride into the 'burbs....don't go to Target.

Actually, Target Corp is quite proactive about people soliciting on their property.

^-.-^

[telecom_goddess]

Have you checked out the website that's devoted to pics of people shopping there? I've seen plenty in our fairly conservative area that definitely qualify for the website - don't know where these people come from, I never see them in other stores, maybe they breed them in the back

OMFG that was funny

[ShadowBall]

It is pretty sad when you can make more money rattling your change cup at people while being a stinky greaseball than you can working an actual job. I recall a story from some years back about an entire family of panhandlers that bragged about making upwards of $800 a day. Don't know if that's true, but they made enough to stay in nice hotels and feed everyone every day, and since the kids were all fat and happy, CPS couldn't take them away since they weren't being neglected or abused.

I saw a lot of beggars when I lived in Pittsburgh and the only one I ever gave to was this guy who would play his saxophone now and then downtown. He was willing to at least do more than stick his hand out expectantly for money and he was pretty good at playing too. Plus I think he did have a part-time job, but he did this for extra money.

The Wal-Fart here doesn't have anything too disturbing...mostly just a bunch of obese people wearing clothing that's several sizes too small. I don't know how that's comfortable or attractive to these people - do they have any idea how enormous they look when they cram their size 14 asses into size 8 jeans? It can make even smaller folks look huge.

[Kogarashi]

do they have any idea how enormous they look when they cram their size 14 asses into size 8 jeans? It can make even smaller folks look huge.

Seriously. When at my ideal body shape, I'm a 12-14 in jeans. I wouldn't dream of attempting to squeeze into anything smaller. It won't make me look smaller, it'll just make me look pudgy and give me the world's worst muffin tops. NOT attractive.

[Sapphire Silk]

But these stupid panhandlers should just go out and get a JOB if they're so desperate for money.

I'd rather work in an air conditioned office and have medical benefits and a 401k, myself.

^-.-^

Ah, but they do have a guild. There's a corner in my town with a McD's, Krispy Kreme, Borders (closed now), and various other very busy shops. There's always a panhandler on each corner. Every so often I see a guy come up to them, do the fist bump thing, and then get handed a wad of cash by the panhandler.

Yup. My town has a Beggar's Guild.

[protege]

I saw a lot of beggars when I lived in Pittsburgh and the only one I ever gave to was this guy who would play his saxophone now and then downtown.

He usually plays on one of the "Three Sisters" bridges, before and after the Steelers and Pirates games. I don't think I've ever seen him around otherwise. Sort of a local tradition, which has been going on at least 25 years. But, I have heard that he plays in a couple of the bars some nights. In recent years, the city actually cracked down on begging. People were tired of getting hassled for change, and demanded the city do something. Beggars are pretty rare downtown now. Sure, there are the occasional panhandlers near the subway stops, but they don't stick around long.

[suburbandecay]

The last time I was there while checking out I was behind a girl who looked like she rolled out of bed. She literally wore her pajamas to shop. Scooby doo bottoms, slippers, robe and all. I just don't get it.

I've gone to the store dressed in a similar fashion exactly once: I was so sick and miserable I could not care less about how I looked. I figured showing up at the counter with saltines, ginger ale, and various cold and flu remedies explained everything.

[Andrew B.]

I remember being told about a begger local to Kansas City. He was apparently featured in a news article and talked about how he lived and things like that.

Long story short, he wound up having to skip town for a few years because people recognized the description and wouldn't give him money anymore until things blew over.

[wolfie]

I know what the Lexus owner was thinking. He clearly wanted people to stay the hell away from, yet still see, his precious, overpriced, gas eating billboard to advertize his small dick. By parking across four spots, he's built a buffer zone of about five feet to either side of his car and sixish feet to the front and rear, both to buffer against the possibility of door dings, and to give people a place to stand to admire such a status symbol of a vehicle and take pity on him for his diminuitive member.

Unlike my truck, my car is actually fairly small (borderline compact/subcompact), and it's a beater. If "Teeny-weenie" leaves enough space, I LOVE parking in the portion of the space he leaves on the driver's side. My personal best (had to fold in my mirror) is 2 inches between my passenger door and moron's driver's door (and yes, I was completely within one space).

One time, at a truck stop I regret not moving my truck after seeing how someone parked. They had parked a bobtail (no trailer) ACROSS 3 spaces, about halfway back. There was a combination (tractor with trailer) on one side, and an empty space on the other. If someone had occupied the empty space, they wouldn't have been able to get out until one of the 2 trucks moved - and I was going to be overnighting at this truck stop.

[ShadowBall]

I forget protege is in da 'Burgh.

I used to have to walk over the Sixth Street bridge to get back to my dorm and I remember seeing that fellow playing "Ghostbusters" on the bridge during a game. I've also seen him a couple times on Smithfield near...Saks, I think? I haven't lived in the city since 2009, so I have no idea if he's still out there or not, but I always liked hearing him play.

I always saw some interesting people downtown - the cross-dressing man with sunglasses and fake gold jewelry who always sat outside CVS, or the dancing nun across the street from said bling-coated lady-man. Or the lady who jogged everywhere - I never once saw that lady just walk. I miss the city.

And I don't think certain too-small clothes are bad. Case in point, I love skin-tight jeans. But I hate muffin tops, so I specifically look for jeans that are super stretchy - that way, I get a tight fit in the butt and legs but no muffin top or lack of circulation in my waist. It's just...don't many women look for ways to look thinner? Why would anyone want to wear clothing that makes them look big or bigger? It boggles my mind how people dress sometimes.

[Seshat]

. o O ( If I can just squeeze into a piece of clothing with a smaller arbitrary number on the size tag, I'm thinner! )

That's the thought process. :/

Me, I want the numbers to not be arbitrary. I want shirts that list the underbust size the shirt is designed for. Ideally, both underbust and cup (eg 38 A/B, 38 C/D, 38 D/E...). I want pants and skirts that list both waist and hip measurements, and have short/medium/long/X long. I want dresses to list both underbust/cup and waist/hip.

And on the mythical day when I'm well enough to run my own clothing company, I'm damn well DOING that. If anyone buys something from my shop that doesn't fit them on at least those measurements (assuming they measure themselves correctly) ... well. I'll be rechecking the measurement of the garment and finding out why the hell it happened, that's what I'll do. Because it'll be faulty!