Quoting Daryl Stout to Nancy Backus on 02-22-20 17:37 <=-

Plus, the panhandlers don't have to declare it as income, and don't
have to pay taxes on it...and they can work whatever days and hours
they want.

And often aren't out when the weather is lousy, unless they are trying
to play on the emotions....

As P.T. Barnum noted, "there's a sucker born every minute".

And they're hoping to capitalise on it...

Once in a great while, the story is true, and they do take the person
up on the offer of the actual gasoline or food...

From what I've seen, that's more the exception than the rule.

That may be... but it does happen from time to time....

Not necessarily the case any more... there are a couple of plans for
the disabled/elderly poor that don't cost anything, like Safelink...
One does have to apply and qualify for it, but once approved, one
just has to recertify annually (and make at least one call per month),
and gets a certain number of minutes per month each month... I know
someone that has that, and the phone they sent her was a smartphone...

There are things like that, but I think there are too many "abusing
the system".

There may well be... but one just shouldn't be too quick to judge just
on appearances....

I'll usually just tell them I'm sorry, but I don't have anything that
I can share right now... I've been known to hand out meal tickets
from our local homeless mission, and suggest that they check that out
for help...

Most of them don't want that...they want the cash for tobacco,
drugs, alcohol, or something else.

And I'm not feeding into that... :)

Of course, the point isn't that if you help them, they'll help you...
it's that they probably won't be able to reciprocate, especially if
truly needy...

Exactly. But, so many nowadays are selfish...thinking only of
themselves.

True.

ttyl neb

... Today is the first day of the rest of your mess.

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