Monday, July 11, 2005

Brother, Can You Spare a Gallon?

I was at the Jewel-Osco in Fairhills Mall a few weeks ago when I was approached by a man looking for some gas money. I had just pulled up to do some grocery shopping one night when this person came over and told me he worked for a construction contractor and had left his wallet at Menard's which was now closed for the evening. He said he lived in Illiopolis and just needed a few dollars to get enough gas to get home. I wound up giving him $5.00 (figuring two plus gallons should get him to Illiopolis).

Now, before you assume I was an easy mark for a scammer, keep in mind I'm no panhandling virgin. I lived and worked in downtown Chicago for three years and was approached daily for handouts. I also saw a fair number of panhandling scams. One of the worst was similar to my experience at Jewel. This woman would pull her car over and tell passers-by that she had run out of gas and needed money to get her car going again. The disgusting part was she had kids in the car to make the need seem all the more urgent. How do I know she wasn't legit? She did it day after day at roughly the same spot.

My Jewel guy may have been pulling the same scam but there was just enough doubt that I gave in. For one thing, I frequent that Jewel and have never seen him there before or since. In fact, when I was done picking up my grocery items that night, he was not in the parking lot anymore. He also gave no outward appearance of being a druggie or drunk. I certainly was not intimidated by or in anyway afraid of the guy. But I think the single biggest factor for giving him the money was this is Springfield. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been panhandled here and never outside of downtown. Weighing all the information I decided this guy just might be legit and in need so I helped.

Anyway, you can decide if I was a chump. But here's my question. Actually, I have two. Has anyone else encountered this guy or his scam (if it is one) here in town? And, more generally, what other kinds panhandling have you encountered in Springfield?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I, as have many of my co-workers, have been approached by a woman who walks around downtown during the day with two small children. She pushes a stroller and walks around specific blocks as though she's targeting a few blocks for this day and then moves on to antoher section on another day.

Now, I haven't seen her downtown this year. In fact, I can't recall exactly when I last saw her - last year or the year before.

She, however, concerned me greatly because of what she was obviously teaching these young, impressionable children. She would approach you and use the children to make you feel badly for her. Then, if you said no, she began to chew you out in front of the children and tell you how terrible and cruel you are to children, etc.

I felt like telling her she needed to set a better example to the children. However, I didn't know her past history or why she was there. I am sure she was desperate, but there may have been circumstances beyond her control that prevented her from being able to have a job and taking care of the children herself. I don't know and that's the reason I just passed on saying anything to her - I wouldn't even respond to her criticism.

I may have taken time to buy her some groceries or something, but she never asked for help, just for money. Then again, I'm not really inclined to help someone who approaches me on the street because I think there are other outlets for getting help.

This is, however, in downtown Springfield, not on the outskirts. I know she attempted this same approach on many people - for a few years - block by block throughout downtown.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Dave said...

Note: the deleted comment was just an accidental double posting of the first comment. No badness going on.

Jim said...

I went through a spell earlier this year where I was approached two or three times by someone who claimed to have run out of money and needed just enough to get enough gas in the tank to get home. One of these was actually at the gas station; I gave that guy the money. Another time was in the Schnuck's parking lot; I think I begged off that one.

I think my rule of thumb in the future may be that if it's at an actual gas station, I'll offer to pay for $5 in gas for them (and I'll actually pay at the counter); but in any other location, or if they just want the money, I'll say no.

Anonymous said...

To Anon 8:58am:

I too work in downtown Springfield and have been accosted by a caucasian woman with two younger children (boy and girl) who is always asking for a handout. Sometimes she sends her kids to do the begging. I always refused and one time she had the audacity to call me a 'white devil' and inform her children that I was an example of how the 'white man' treated them.

This woman not only teaches her children that panhandling is acceptable but racism to boot. Although I found it ironic I was a 'white devil' yet she was not. Anyway after our words, she ignores me whenever I see her.

BlogFreeSpringfield said...

Dave, was that you? I'm sorry man. I was headed to the OTB with a hot tip and I needed a little more cash to supplement my bet. My horse didn't come in or I would have given you a cut.

Dave said...

Dan, don't worry about it. Have you seen how many bloggers beg for money on their sites? At least you were doing it honestly ;).

Anon7:59, OK, it looks like I was taken. But Mr. Scammer (I mean, umm, Dan) got his if he in fact bought and (yech!) drank Old Milwaukee. Oooo, I just got an idea for Friday Beer Blogging.