Don't scam people for money, dude

[KuariKaydrith]

I currently am an assistant manager at a gas station/convenience store, and today I had the dubious pleasure of telling a beggar to essentially shove off from the store property once I found out that he was asking customers for money.

I get that money is tight for everybody, but if I let everybody bother our customers I'd get written up and potentially fired. But that's neither here nor there for the purpose of this post.

A kind-hearted customer came in and bought the beggar a loaf of bread. I have no issues with this - everybody needs to eat.

Once said customer was gone, the beggar came in and asked to return the bread for cash as he didn't actually want food. He wanted to put the cost of the bread toward a pack of cigarettes, to go along with the change that he managed to get from other people.

My clerk told him no, that the bread wasn't bought with cash and we can only do returns back to the form of payment used to purchase the item. Now, as management, I can refund via cash but that's only in extreme circumstances. So the dude left the bread behind because he didn't want it and left the store with his pack of smokes, and my clerk asked what he should do with the bread. I told him that if the beggar doesn't return for it by the end of the clerk's shift he can just take it home with him - it's paid for, the beggar stated clearly that he didn't want it, and it was never opened.

Before this all went down and the beggar was given the loaf of bread, I went outside to tell the beggar that he couldn't be asking our customers for money. He gave me the whole song and dance about not working and needing help - I told him that I understand where he's coming from but I can't let him bother our customers so he had to leave, that if he didn't leave that I would be required to call the police to have him removed.

This was before him wanting to return the bread and buy cigarettes. Now, the next time I see him on the store lot I'm just going to call the police non-emergency number to have him removed. No warning. I have no issue giving food to people who genuinely need it, but for him to want to return it for cash to buy something other than food? Yeah, no sympathy from me or my staff.

[Sparklyturtle]

I hear you. I was about to go into my local grocery store when this guy stopped me and demanded, "Hey! Buy me a pack of smokes!" I said, "No." He asked why not, and I told him that I don't smoke, so I don't spend my money on cigarettes for him or anyone else. His response was, "You're a real b**ch, aren't you?" I said, "And proud of it," and walked into the store. I don't know why he approached me to begin with, except that I'm a gray-haired old lady who probably looks like she can be intimidated, which isn't the case.

[Eireann]

One day, a guy asked me for some change. I walked past him into a convenience store, where I bought some fruit, a bottle of water, potato chips, and a candy bar. I came out of the store and gave him the bag. He thanked me over and over and over. It felt good.

[KuariKaydrith]

One day, a guy asked me for some change. I walked past him into a convenience store, where I bought some fruit, a bottle of water, potato chips, and a candy bar. I came out of the store and gave him the bag. He thanked me over and over and over. It felt good.

See, this I like. I have no issues helping people out, especially if they're being honest. Some folks are genuinely down on their luck. I've been there myself so I know what it's like.

[Pixelated]

IHis response was, "You're a real b**ch, aren't you?"

"Why yes, yes, I am! Thank you for noticing!"

The days when being called a b**ch was an insult that caused a woman to backpedal madly are LONG gone, buddy.

The downtown core of My Hometown has tons of panhandlers in it. One or two are truly in desperate need of intervention (we're talking major mental issues) but most are just homeless. I will given cash when and where I can, but there are times when I just don't have any to give. Luckily I have yet to run into an aggressive panhandler. I think they know better.

[taxguykarl]

"You're a real b**ch, aren't you?"

And your point is? I used to run a gauntlet of them when I still worked downtown Chicago. Many of them were better dressed than I (at least pricier looking clothes). There was one who would ask for (and I quote) "Thirty-seven cents, I need thirty-seven cents"....while smoking a $2+ cigarette.

[Kit-Ginevra]

Sometimes you can tell the genuine ones easily. Whilst some of our church were out and about visiting (if that's the right word?) the homeless folk, there was one guy who had hardly eaten that day because he was trying to save up for a sleeping bag. Dude got bought a sleeping bag and he was so pleased that he was warm and dry and could spend the money he had on food.
Another guy I encountered was (apparently) desperately trying to get back to a nearby town to see an ill relative. No problem-I had finished with my bus ticket for the day so he could have that. It was not welcomed-'what the f*** is that?' 'That's a ticket to get you back home'-'I don't want that.I want the money.'

[Kristev]

Hold it, everybody. I used to be homeless. Money is often better for them than items are. Not because they want to get high, but because money can be used for any need. Items are useful only for a single thing, and quite frankly, most homeless people have plenty of socks and deodorants. They need their needs met. Money will do that. Items will not. Food should never be given because the risk of intentional poisoning or harm (like hiding glass in the food) is too high. It's a safety matter for the homeless.

The most sensible compromise is a grocery store gift card. It's safer for you, and for them.

[AkaiKitsune]

As im reading this there's a regular awesome customer who's been sweeping and changing the garbage for the last hour (our parking lot gets disgusting because of all the addicts here). All he wants is a hot drink. We usually give him his drink, a refill and whatever writeoffs there are for that night. After all, he's polite, does the job he says he will really well, and saves me 2hrs sometimes more of work. I'll take that over the shoplifters who play the ~but I'm broooooke card all the time as an excuse to steal any day. on top of that if hes out front sweeping we never have shoplifters come in and steal. If we dont have anything to give him we check the other gas stations nearby and see if they do have something that way he gets what he needs and since we know he's trustworthy we don't mind the extra effort of calling other stations up. A few times he's warned us about potential problems and threats. Yesterday someone tried to rob another store of ours at gunpoint but found out the 'employees' were actually cops because he tipped us off as he didn't want our staff to get hurt.

[KuariKaydrith]

Hold it, everybody. I used to be homeless. Money is often better for them than items are. Not because they want to get high, but because money can be used for any need. Items are useful only for a single thing, and quite frankly, most homeless people have plenty of socks and deodorants. They need their needs met. Money will do that. Items will not. Food should never be given because the risk of intentional poisoning or harm (like hiding glass in the food) is too high. It's a safety matter for the homeless.

The most sensible compromise is a grocery store gift card. It's safer for you, and for them.

I understand this well. I often do hand out gift cards to homeless folks so they can get inside somewhere, warm up, and eat. My frustration with the guy in my original post was that he had asked customers for food. I figure he did this because he felt it would be easier to take advantage of people and perhaps assumed that we'd exchange the food item for cash. Unfortunately, as soon as said food item leaves the store we can't take it back unless there is something wrong with it, such as mold or something equally gross. And we'd still need the receipt.

[Kristev]

Yes, I know. Food has rules. Once it's on a plate, it's contaminated. I've become a bit too quick to defend my former fellows. They are not what people think they are, and all of you are just two underpaychecks away from joining them.