Tried to Hire a Homeless Man Today

Where I work I have"homeless " approach me all the time,everyday
with some sort of story.
I have this one guy,he comes up with this elaborate story of car
broken down,need so much to fix it.
I tell him he just told me a version of that story
a week ago,and he walks off.
I need to learn from them,
cause they are good at what they do.

reply to post by onehuman


I had a similar experience a few years ago. I had a homeless guy approach me at a freeway exit. He asked to bum a cig. I told him I wouldn't give him one, but I would give him a way to buy his own. I told him to come to the store where I worked. I offered to give him a job making $10 an hour.

He said he had a bad knee and couldn't stand for long periods of time. I asked him how he could stand at the exit ramp ten hours a day.

him: I go sit under that tree every now and then.
me: Well I could give you a thirty minute break, a fifteen minute break, and let you use a stool when doing certain tasks.
him: I don't want a job, I want a cigarette. Can you handle that?

I basically said eff you buddy and rolled up my window.

Originally posted by onehuman
Being a cab driver, I cant help but notice a bit of the underworld while driving around town.

For this particular post I will be referring to the guy that stands on the corner with his homeless and hungry sign.

We have all seen them. Some of us donate, some of us look the other way. Some of us are grateful that isn't us, perhaps even a few of us smug about it.

Anyhow, the long and short of this post is the fact that I do see these people every day, same place, same sign.

So, today I decided I wanted to work on my yard, get it ready for spring which has finally decided to arrive. I realized being somewhat hampered, I needed some help. Usually I have some kids around, but today I didnt. So, I thought I'll go see if one of those hungry folks would like to make some money helping me. You know, try and give back to the community, yada yada.....

Of I go in search, too the corners I know. Murphy's law, they weren't around until my last choice. After parking and walking a ways to talk to this fella, this is pretty much how the conversation went...

me: "Want to make $20.00 bucks?
him: Doing what?
me: raking leaves
him: How many?
me: $20.00 bucks worth
him: I can make $20.00 bucks standing here in a hour
him: How big is the yard?
me: Small
him: I don't have to bag them or anything just rake?
me: Yes you have to bag them
him: No Thanks

Now I have to be honest and admit I was wondering what the heck is wrong with is guy? Im offering a honest way to make a few bucks, because after all, he is hungry, ( though Im trying to figure that out too, as he can make $20.00 a hour standing on corner, even if he only did it 4 hours, which makes $80.00. Which if he did 4 days a week, would be $320.00.) How can someone be hungry with that kind of money?

I guess I wouldn't leave my post either. If I put a 40 hour week in doing that I would have $800.00.

Enough on that point, the thing is there were two other guys working the other corners. So I presented the same thing. Long story short, one had a gimp knee,the other one, a bad shoulder. Okay, if you say so, I'll believe.

I will say, I can imagine there may have been a trust factor. I mean I did just walk up out of the clear blue. I could have had my own trust factors being a woman and picking up a stranger as well. I decided to try and get past that. Stupid? Maybe... but I have my senses.

I guess I am posting this because I was shocked in a odd way . I'm not even sure what shocked me more. The fact someone is claiming to be hungry, but wont do some honest work to make a few bucks, Or, The fact this same person makes more then I do standing on a corner.

Can someone tell me what is wrong with this picture?

It's easy, those people dont want to work no selfrespect or whatsoever, this is what works for them so they will be keep doing it...

& I also remember, on my way to NY, I was at a GreyHound station in Memphis, Tennesse. I was sitting in the cafeteria area, eating, & I saw this lady start to weep uncontrollably. She was watching us all eat & she started to say, "I'm so hungry." So this man with a mustache, whom was enjoying his turkey breast with gravy & potatoes (I know, they actually have food like that at a bus station!) decided to stop eating his meal, threw all of it away, & pulled out his wallet, threw a few dollars on the ladies table. She jumped startled & chanted, "thank you thank you thank you sir!" I wasn't able to process what I was seeing exactly, but I really should have taken it as an omen, because a month after moving to NY I was homeless. I left my boyfriend because he was a drug addict & I was sick of him leaving at 7am & coming home at 3am every night. I found paraphernalia under his damn sink one day, searching for a pen & I decided I am worth more & I don't need to be in a situation like this.

reply to post by kdog1982


Excellent video......raw. hard hitting...makes you think

I have to say some very interesting replies here.
I do want to point out the fact that in my mind I was thinking, this should only take a couple hours at the most. My thinking was $10.00 bucks a hours. Considering minimum wage is only 7 and change, I thought that was a good deal. I mean that is better then I make in the cab some days.

I certainly wasn't trying to skimp anyway. Besides, if we bonded well and they seemed earnest, I would have definitely brought them back for more to do.

One thing I do know is I will pass this man again as soon as I go back to work and he will know me as he stands there....

reply to post by kdog1982


I have loved that song for a long time... let me embed it for you as it is well worth the watch:

reply to post by onehuman
I was in a detox unit a few times when I could party like a rock star (years ago,too old now).I would sit and listen to some other people in the smoking room talk.They were "signing" and picked up on public intox charges,landing them there.Most made anywhere from $500 to $800 A DAY holding a will work for food sign.They would laugh their a**es off about eating steak dinners and drinking the best booze,paid for by people with good,decent hearts.I am no where near as liberal minded since then.The worst ones will actually have their kids with them to bump up the sympathy factor.People that mean well are just encouraging them to continue.Don't give them a nickel.If they are that bad off and that hungry,there are churches everywhere and food shelves.Many people down that low are there for a reason,drugs and alcohol.

Originally posted by MountainLaurel
reply to post by kdog1982

 

Excellent video......raw. hard hitting...makes you think

Yes,there are some that are mentally challenged and they can't function in society,
then there are those who take advantage of society.
To bad that dude is dead now .
He was a good

reply to post by onehuman

Thanks,was trying to do the embedding,but failed.

The OP's attempt to hire the homeless went better than mine. We were swamped at work one day (construction) and could have used an extra hand. We spotted a homeless man on the corner on the way to the job and asked if he wanted to work for the day. The guy swore and cursed at us something fierce. I will never do that again!

Trust factor my big hairy butt.

What you experienced today is what so many fail to understand. That man you offered to give $20 to rake your lawn isnt there by accident. He is what some people like to call "lazy".


Granted some are homeless due to mental illness and some are there through a run of hard luck, but Im telling you that the vast majority, especially the ones who stand there on the corner holding a sign and begging, are there because sitting on a bucket and holding a sign is way easier than digging ditches or in your case raking leaves. They are there because they want to be there.

Wonder why these bums are always standing in front of a McDonalds holding a sign when the restaraunt right behind him is hiring? Its because he will make more begging and not have to lift a finger or work fries.

Some of these people even own homes and file tax returns.

reply to post by Laokin


Maybe I'm mistaken in my opinion, but your post just hit me the wrong way. $20.00 (depending on where you eat) could take care of about four meals. If a homeless person claims to be hungry and would like some money for food that they so desperately need, then what's the harm in raking some leaves? It's not very hard work, and I'm sure the OP would have driven him to and from the job.

What do you mean the job isn't "worth" it? You'd rather take money from well-meaning people without lifting a finger? I guess if you're lazy and don't ever intend to work for your meals, then no job will seem good, "worth it", or fitting enough. I don't understand this mentality that some people have where they feel entitled to be able to choose only from the professions that appeal to them, even when they're on the street "starving". A desperate person who intends to lift themselves back up will apply themselves and do whatever they can to come out of their desperate situation. That means 'putting your back into it' and being thankful for the opportunities that present themselves to you. Man.... this country is just so full of people with entitlement issues. "Give me money, give me a great job, give me food, just don't expect me to earn it."

reply to post by onehuman


I agree with you on the points you made. I'd like to share with you one story about a man on the corner trying to earn money a different way. His sign read: "Lost my job, need to feed my family". He had a couple of crates of bottled water he had bought at a grocery store, and offered the bottles for sale for however much people were willing to pay; a dollar, two dollars, or whatever. Whether or not this was a gimmick, whether or not he was telling the truth I can't say, but I thought it was a novel idea of earning money. At least he offered a service to those who were willing to donate to his cause. I saw him on the corner a few times for a couple of weeks, and soon after he disappeared. Haven't seen him since.

reply to post by 2manyquestions


A guy like that I would happily give a buck and tell him to keep the water. At least he is putting in the work to do something novel. Even if it is a BS sell, at least he is putting forth effort.

To the Op.
Why didnt you offer the homeless guy a way out of his poverty...by offering to support him into gaining his Cabbies License?
If he refused that then you tried with earnestness.
I left school at 16 and worked Forty hours a week in a very dangerous environment whilst some of my peers sat back and allowed Mommy and Daddy to support them whilst they partied on through Senior school and University.
Its all about loot , how much you have how much you are willing to prostitute yourself for.
Perhaps the homeless man didnt want to be your whore.
Ever think about that?

I watched one at the end of the day walk over to his motor-home, it was not the best of motor homes but it was a living place.

I ran into him at a campsite near town that i was staying at while doing a construction job in town.

He was panhandling to get gas money so that he did not have to spend his disability check on gas.

He did this every summer and in the winter he found places to stay by doing watchman/security on construction sites or as a caretaker for property in exchange for a place to park.

This guy did not stay in any town long for the locals to catch on.

And if anyone tried to feed him he used his diabetes as why he could not eat from fast food places.(he was taking diabetes meds so that part was true)

From talking to him he had worked for 30 years till he became disabled because of a on the job illness and been dumped by the company he worked for.
The problem was that it took years for the doctors to find out what was wrong and by then it was to late to file for
a on the job illness. That left him just getting a small government disability.
Being unable to work and all his medical bills had used up all his savings before the doctors had found what was wrong.

This problem is very common in some industries and companies know what health problem are caused by working for them and at the first sign they dump the employ before they can prove it was work related.

I have found that about 40% of panhandlers are of this type and about 40% are drug users.
for about 10% panhandling is a job and they enjoy it and make good money.

The percentages may be different in your areas
the remaining 10% are just bums that don't see any reason to work.

reply to post by Dr Expired


I'm sure he doesn't have any say in the matter when it comes to offering him the same job & how does this guy even know he has a driver's license? & how does he even know if this guy isn't a drunk or a drug addict or just pocketing the cash & living in a nice warm home, too.

& for the guy to reject any help whatsoever, shows the homeless man is happier making himself look shameful & helpless as a beggar, not an upstanding citizen, incapable of supporting themselves, when most of these "lazy people" can just as easily fill out an employment form.

reply to post by Dr Expired


Why would I think about that? I was trying to make the best offer I could afford. I am not a whores corner. I acutally go through the motions and work for what it appears to be less then the corners whore,(as you put it).

I wasnt asking anyone to bend over backwards and sing opera. If I was was hungry, $20.00 bucks for a couple hours work of something as simple as racking leaves and bagging them? Even I could do that with my underwear outside the pants, and I would in a heartbeat as well.

Originally posted by austingoeshard
reply to post by onehuman

 

yea man homeless people are generally insane assholes.

I know a girl that gave a homeless man some McDonald's coffee and hashbrowns and he threw the coffee on the girl and said, "I WANT MONEY B*TCH"

she was like seven too

I'm using your story as a reference so this is not particuarly an answer to yours. Yes the gentleman in your recount is an asshole. But I wouldn't say all homeless people are.


Thats a bit of an over-reaction. I've met various sorts of homeless so I can understand why they prefer money to food.
Imagine you stand near a mcdonalds every day. So people tend to hand you mcdonalds rather then cash. Well for one, you're going to be pretty darn sick of mcdonalds. Look at that supersize me movie. Not very healthy. Also this one gentleman I know had to watch his salt intake cause he had a heart condition. If you offer food to a guy who cant eat it, he's going to get pissed cause he does want to eat it, he wants to watch out for his health so wont eat it, then will feel guilty for not accepting it (so they get pissed as a reaction).

Another reason they prefer money to food is, well if they get food stamps somehow, they are well fed. Even if not and they are well fed through food/cash donations already, they still need to make the money to help them get a bath, get clothes, take their stinkin clothes to the laundrymate, etc. To live life in general.