Not Prepared?

[loknload]

The wife and I are on vacation and traveling in our motorhome. Getting late so we stop at a nearby Cracker Barrel for dinner and grab a hotel room next door.
After driving the MH for the day it's always nice to catch a hotel room with a nice hot shower and a great bed. Get to our destination the next day.
Well anyway I'm standing outside the MH while the wife is booking the hotel. I had just done my walk around of the coach to check everything. We're parked in back of the Cracker Barrel which is well lit, plenty of other cars around with people passing and the local hotels nearby.
I am standing there waiting for the wife when this black gentleman walks over, appeared to me that he had just left the restaurant and was headed to one of the cars parked nearby. He was neatly dressed, clean in appearance, did not smell of liquor and talked straight, no slurring or stuttering.
Starts a conversation on how nice the motorhome looked and ask about age and so forth. Says I have it parked at a good spot and no one will mess with it, I agreed. Cracker Barrel employees will keep an eye on you if you are parked on their lot over night.
Unexpectedly this gentleman goes off with telling me now that he's a recovered alcoholic and hasn't had a drink in 16 years. Now he tells me he is now homeless since the people he has been living with has now started drinking again and he had to leave the home so now he's homeless and hasn't had a meal in two days?
Could I spare him a couple bucks to get something to eat?
So now the wife comes out and we're ready to go in and eat so on the side I explain to her what's happening and we gave the guy 10 bucks to eat with, figured he could get something decent in Cracker Barrel but he didn't go in there sort of just disappeared.
So I did a good deed, never give money out to people like this but he sounded sincere and god blessed me as a good Christian.
But the bottom line was I got caught with my guard down?

 

[snuffy51]

His story could have been true. The money got rid of him. OR, you were very lucky.

 

[bigwheelzip]

It's good to read that your well enough to be a road warrior, after the medical issues you've dealt with lately. Have a great vacation and don't forget that we like to see pictures.

 

[Mistered]

His story could have been true. The money got rid of him. OR, you were very lucky.

He 'sized' you up very quickly and got what he wanted. His story might have been true but I doubt it. He could have been a 'point man' for something bigger. He saw you, your MH, and knew exactly what was available for the taking and fortunately nothing more came of it.
Just wondering why you have a MH and were staying in a hotel? Reason is the MH gives you the freedom to stop where and when you want without having to deal with hotels.
You mention 'it got late' so you stopped at a nearby Cracker Barrel. Well lots of cars and will lit does not ensure security. Location and environment are bigger factors.
When traveling it is a good idea to always plan to get to your destination early while it is still light. Staying away from urban areas, especially after dark (and with a MH) is always a good idea - considering what you have to lose.
Why not find nice RV parks out of the way with a better environment than a Cracker Barrel when it is late?
OH and FWIW I work in the RV industry for a large dealer and have a good understanding if the RVing lifestyle.

 

[Onomea]

Seems to me no harm in just considering that it was what it appeared to be on the surface. It may well have been. If it was not, not a big deal. Hey, it's only ten bucks.

I think you did a good deed.

 

[Mistered]

If it was not, not a big deal. Hey, it's only ten bucks.

Well the movement by him reaching into his pocket for the money could have been the signal to others - or a time for the panhandler to strike when the OP had his hands occupied.
I live in Central Oregon where panhandlers are on nearly every corner and sidestreet and whenever I get approached by them they get a VERY cold, harsh and short response from me. These people are hardly needy and are often dressed very well. They are nothing but either very shrewd operators or tweekers so far gone they (with any luck) will be dead soon. These beggars have gotten very good at pulling at the 'heartstrings' of unwary people and make incredible amounts of money. While my company (and most others in the area) operate shorthanded (and have for several years) these freeloaders operate with impunity and prey on the weak who will open their pockets to them.

 

[TX-Dennis]

You'll never know for sure, but what matters is you tried to do the right thing.

 

[Rustyt1953]

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

You did as your heart led you. You're a good man.

 

[Bro. Dave]

Having been a Baptist pastor for a little over 45 years I have had many requests for benevolence and not a few straight up pan-handlers. As a general rule, I never give anyone cash.

If they claim to be hungry, we offer to buy them food or a meal. If they are traveling, we offer to buy some gas. If they need a place to stay we provide a motel room, etc.

But one does not always have the luxury of the time investment that response requires.

Some individuals have mastered the art of hitting folks up just as they come out of a food place, feeling well fed and satisfied, and pitching a story of being hungry. That little guilt trip strategy is pretty powerful.

If not close to my church field, I have sometimes replied to such requests that I am a preacher, but my church is not close. I will be happy to call a police officer, since they know the neighborhood, and inquire as to where the closest Baptist Church is located and see to it they get some help. I have never had anyone take me up on that offer, but I stand ready to follow through if one ever does.

A a principle, I rather sometimes help the undeserving than allow genuine need go unmet.

I would never dare to second guess your decision and believe you did as were led to do at the moment.

 

[bigchuck83]

You'll never know for sure, but what matters is you tried to do the right thing.

This, sometimes all that matters is knowing you did something to help out another person. I try to help others when i can and only hope if i were ever in true need of some help that someone would be there for me in some way.

 

[loknload]

Mistered,,,,
Just wondering why you have a MH and were staying in a hotel? Reason is the MH gives you the freedom to stop where and when you want without having to deal with hotels.
You mention 'it got late' so you stopped at a nearby Cracker Barrel. Well lots of cars and will lit does not ensure security. Location and environment

Well we've learned that most Interstate RV parks are not as easy on or off the Interstate as they say and most times can't accommodate my motorhome. I do prefer driving later into the evening hours.
Since I will not spend a night at a Rest Area, Truck stop or Wally World parking lot. These places are just too plain noisy and unsafe places at night. We will spend a night on a CB parking lot in pinch but have taken a liking to overnight hotel stops. Like I said originally, you get a good night sleep a good hot shower and a free complimentary breakfast in the morning. No noise from some idling truck or loud talking people slamming their car doors.
Right now as I type this, in bed in my motorhome I can hear the soothing sounds of the ocean! oh and my snoring wife! We are at our destination!

I guess when I say about leaving my guard down I just presumed this guy was just another restaurant customer. I was aware of my surroundings and as to what was where. I just assumed something that was not.

 

[Tom S.]

Two most famous scams are for food or gas. If you offer to buy them either one, they will suddenly disappear, as it's the money they're really after. Used to see it in Detroit a lot.

 

[Broke Hoss]

I try to keep a $10 gift card to Whataburger in my wallet. I've given them out to various people I've come in contact with that were in need of a meal.

I never give cash outright.

 

[tbgunner88]

We never know the persons true intent, all we can do is what we feel to be right in that moment. Enjoy your trip, we spent a few days relaxing in the sand by the water in North Carolina last month, I would love to be back there right now.

 

[chief38]

Probably most requests for $$ are fake but I would say there has to be a genuine request out there once in a while. The bottom line is you called it the way you saw and did what you thought was right at the time. That's all anyone can do. He either had a good meal or a few drinks - either way you are not to be judged as no one else was there

 

[pharman]

Go in restaurant!

A better way would have been to tell him to come in restaurant and ORDER a meal and then you pay for it there instead of giving him the $...you would have quickly found out if he was telling you the truth...if he disappeared after you gave him the $, he probably headed to the nearest bar...

 

[Tom S.]

A better way would have been to tell him to come in restaurant and ORDER a meal and then you pay for it there instead of giving him the $...you would have quickly found out if he was telling you the truth...if he disappeared after you gave him the $, he probably headed to the nearest bar...

More likely the nearest liquor store. Bars are expensive.

 

[peyton]

Be wary of strangers "talking you up". My Dad and I had a similar situation while driving to Alaska. A guy came up and said he was selling his tool box, trying to get money to get back to Washington. My dad gave him some money. The tools did not cost nearly what my dad gave for them.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I guess I'm kinda selfish. I give to others because it makes me feel good. I don't agonize over whether the person might purchase food or crack with the couple bucks I toss to their way. I simply thank God for sparing me their suffering.

 

[Farmer17]

My sister and daughter were driving and a fireman was standing there with a rubber boot and she always gives firemen money on their charity drive so she stopped to give him some cash. She lowered the window and thought he looked pretty rough to be a fireman, and went to drop a five dollar bill in his boot and he suddenly reached in the car to grab the other cash out of purse! She twisted in the seat and hit the gas pedal and got away but she is very small and 67 years old so it could have turned out very bad.