could you ever see yourself reduced to begging?

I can't imagine begging. And I hope I'd never have to, But sometimes I do think like a homeless person. I mean, I'll be visiting a certain store or what-have-you and I'll think, This would be a good place to get some free food or This would be a good place to wash up or sleep...

Seriously? I'm afraid I just couldn't bring myself to do it, though there is little shame in it.

I too have done the thing Sarah mentions, envisioning myself homeless, picking out areas where I could do things - sleep, wash-up, read a paper. Whenever things get bad I always try to remember they could be worse.

But I do have a step-brother who is on the streets and occasionally begs - he suffers from un-treated mental illness, and can no longer function within the structures of society, but is unwilling to get help and will not admit that anything is wrong. Sadly, there is nothing that the family can do until (and if) he actually hurts himself or someone else.

With regards to me begging, I cannot ever imagine being put into the situation where it was an option, but I could never see myself doing it. Where I live (Cambridge) it is commonplace & seems to be increasing at an alarming rate. Some of them are quite intimidating. I rarely give to them tho, as I have no problems if they use it for food or something, but when they just spend it on alcohol & get aggressive, i dont think it's right. It is also sad that you are more likely to give them money if they have a dog with them. I am guilty of this def.

horace, millar, you're falling off

I won't get into my other experiences with every other beggar I've run into in the past, say, seven fucking days.

I have spent all my life as an adult playing an easy mark for these people. I have given out who knows how many cigarettes, how much change, bills, unwanted food boxed to take home, directions to shelters, matches, whatever. I have been guilt-tripped into completely unnecessary excursions and at one point PURCHASED A CAN OF BEER for a destitute ex-con named Pierre (he is kind of famous in the U street corridor for hitting up 9:30 clubgoers)

This guy in the deli crossed the line. Between him and the guy on the NYC subway claiming to be broke, unemployed and retarded with a wife and child while wearing a Triple Five Soul backpack and Timberlands, I am through with this shit. I am not buying the good karma garbage any longer. Fuck some panhandlers and buskers and ESPECIALLY fuck any kid who comes up to me asking for exitfare on the DC metro while holding out an old metrocard as if that's proof of anything.

God dammit. Spoiled my lunch, too.

Dude Tom you're going to love Brixton.

probably not true in your case TOMBOT, but a lot of clothing labels (espcially those claiming to be, you know, all "street" and shit) actually give out clothes to homeless people. it's a good deed and and a nice bit of PR. of course you have now highlighted the potential problem with this idea - they'll look like fakers or thieves. (i used to rep some of these labels btw - i recall one was called 'gypsies and thieves')

God I had to ask my neighbor for $1 for bus fare yesterday AND today and I feel so fucking embarrassed.

It's the worst, down times...it got to the point once where my coworkers (3 years ago) realized I had no food so they'd leave sandwiches in my locker. That was v. sweet and easy bcz it was anonymous. But SO EMBARRASSING asking friends for food, or the worst once, getting $5-10 from people I knew to pay for my $150 meds while getting all delusional voices and shit...withdrawals.

Ii is very humiliating and it makes me feel like a sore pity, doing these things even very rarely.

I had to beg for coins for the phone once, cause me and my friend spent all our money on cds in the city and couldnt get home, so needed to call my mum. Which we couldnt do without the 20 cents for the phone.

Mobile phones are such a godsend, really.

I've certainly had days where I've said "living under the freeway would suck, but I bet I could manage it."

I've done it, Abbs. I've asked strangers for the $1.50 fare at the PATH station, back in the days when I first got to NY and either truly WAS that broke or, on a couple of occasions, had forgotten my wallet at home and still had to get to work for fear of boss's wrath. And in the unemployed days I had a friend from the neighborhood take me to her house and feed me black bean soup -- it was basically like stone soup, we just kept adding a tomato here, a little cumin there, whatever was in our cupboards. Oh god hot food. Amazing.

And even now I occasionally borrow $10 or so from colleagues to get to payday. Whenever I feel bad about having to ask my peers for $, I remember that a) everyone I know makes more than I do, and b) almost all my non-noize friends are in couples, so they're cutting living expenses nearly in half. If I were sharing a 1-bedroom apt with someone, my rent would go down by like $300, not even counting other bills.

couldn't see myself ever begging, but like others have said i guess if it came to doing it or starving i'd change my tune pretty quick.

it would have to be a fairly drastic chain of events though.

It's the worst when you need a small finite amount, ie for train fare to get to something necessary...it's particularly humiliating when $1.50 is all that stands between you and being a "normal" person who isn't destitute.

yeah, mobile phones took a lot of that out of the equation, but being stuck for transport is a strange leveller.

knowing you will not be able to make rent by <$100 is too

I just can't do it. I wish I could, but I will literally go without eating or resort to theft before I ask anybody for money.

i have thought about juggling on the subway platform for extra cash.

no need for euphemisms in this thread

i have played my omnichord in washington square park for change

That is kind of badass, those are the best instruments. Know I wld give to an intrepid Omnichord soldier.

It's the worst when you need a small finite amount, ie for train fare to get to something necessary...it's particularly humiliating when $1.50 is all that stands between you and being a "normal" person who isn't destitute.

For real : (

I took my last $20 out of the ATM today (well, multiples of $20...there's still $3.80 or so left) and LOST it within two minutes. And this is not the kind of lost thinks people will post signs about: "FOUND: $20 bill, call to identify & claim."

:(

So...more begging for bus fare until the 30th. Yes, it does make me feel like a stranded little ghost.

so beyond broke right now. fuck!

OTM

OTM over here for me, too, I mean tho I am sure your statement is accurate.

i ate the last of the my leftovers for lunch today. at least i had that to look foward to this morning

Scrmabling to clock out and catch the bus home last night, I left my bus pass at work and had to spend my last dollar to ride. I don't get paid til Dec 7!

for the first time in basically forever I am not totally skint. it's thoroughly disconcerting. i would likes to help random dudez who i know by only their weirdo internet monikers.

I wd cook for all yous :( I highly highly recommend lentils, I have to tell you.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f86/igotabeefpastry/makeyouty.jpg

Abbott I have never had this much money in my whole life

Lentils? Hell, yes!

But you need a way to boil water. This can be difficult for those without even a pot to piss in.

they got us bagels at work. i just stuffed 4 in my bag for dinner.

i know, right. there is a convenience store across the street from where I live and around 5:00 they start giving away the fried chicken and bbq sandwiches they sell during the day (which are kept in a warming cabinet). i am in good with one of the ladies and she has been hooking me up, but yesterday I pop in and all the chickens is already given away. PANIC ENSUES. Seriously, it sucked, I ate Cup-o-noodles last night.

i would be all over that.
as soon as i get some money i am going to feast. bills be damned

Once I had everything robbed from me while I was in the South of France. (Late night > locked out of hostels > slept in park w/ some folks > half asleep holding on to my bag > woke up holding on to the *straps* of my bag > skinheads riding off on motorcycle with all my stuff). No wallet, no passport, no clothes, no nothin'. I had to get to the US consulate 3 hours away, but it was closed over the weekend. So I had to manage on the streets for a couple days.

I fucking begged. I would meet and talk to people, and explain my situation. Some other young travellers bought me meals. Because I was young, hungry and honest, I found most people to be fairly understanding. Yes, there were rude ones too, and I kept being moved along from the different benches I was sleeping on at night. It did suck. No place to go, lots of fear. But I didn't feel bad asking for help, once I got over the inital sting of humiliation.

Hahaha wanko you can see part of a truck full of shit in the back...100% of the bra cash was spent on u-haul+moving+security deposit+first month rent.

Did you ILX search for that or do you just look at my photobucket?

It was like 70% of borrowed $$$ from John's sisters, too.

that photo is really missing a gun

abbott you are a really good sport about not getting creped out by photostalkers!

I just hope he hasn't masturbated to it so many times that the thrill is gone! Bcz that is too many times.

C:\Documents and Settings\wanko\My Documents\abbott\113.jpg

Dude no it's linked straight from my photobucket.

my mind assimilates all things unnecessary/not beneficial to my growth and advancement as a person. the phrase 'igotabeefpastry' is one of these things.

it's a fine little phrase