To the arseholes on Barrington who feel the need to harrass myself and co-workers while we’re out on our break for change for a “coffee” or “bus fare” or “a bite to eat”… go get a job! You’re nothing but a bunch of liars anyway. Want to know why we never give you anything? Because you’re liars! One of my co-workers was nice enough to give you a bus ticket and then you went and sold it! Another time one gave you a loonie and you had the nerve to come to me asking for more. When I said you just got money from my co-worker all you coudl say was “yeah, just a dollar”. I’ve seen you throw out sandwhiches that people have been nice enough to provide you with. You’ll never get one red cent from me, which makes me feel bad for the people who do need it because you just make them look bad! I hope you read this while your hiding in the mall and pedways during the day. Tim’s is always hiring, go ask them for work. Then you’ll have change and food!
—Let me smoke in peace!
This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2009.
Don’t even get me started on those fuckers. Most of them end up at Scotia Square at NSLC or the lotto booth when it was there. I don’t give them fuck – just turn up my ipod and keep walking. For every genuine homeless person, there’s 10 bums who want to make a quick buck – they can go pound sand up their asses for all I care. The big problem, however, is that their numbers have tripled over the last year.
So I’m going to start marketing bum kits. It would include a 11 x 14 piece of cardboard for writing your pathetic, heartwrenching story on, a brand new Tim’s cup with a few pennies to rattle, three cigarette butts, a pair of chewed up sneakers with no laces and a ratty, dog-haired blanket that smells like rat fetuses. For a mere $39.99, you, too can make a killing on Barrington St. and laugh at all those idiot office workers who think you’re so sad and broke.
Where can I get one of these TTFN? Directly from you or do I have to run into you at Squotia Square while digging cigerette butts out of the cans? lol
TTFN, I’d like to buy a 30% equity stake in your idea. Only if I can throw in a bus ticket in each package so that they can take the bus when they really need to.
PANHANDLING HAS HIT THE BURBS.
That’s right, panhandler at Lacewood terminal today.
Ugh.
That’s not all, they’re migrating to the BLIP. However, the police up there usually arrest them because the businesses (rightfully so) call them.
Well, the only place you can really walk around in bayers lake is technically private property so that takes care of that…still.
Has anyone else noticed an increase in the number of panhandlers over the past ~3 years? I swear there weren’t as many 4 years ago 🙁
The cops yak with these people rather than move them along. Well, look for a a spike of bums in the near future. If Young Ave. ends up with one on every block, we’re in real shit.
I work at a Tims on Barrington, we are always accepting resumes, but not always hiring for that location. Also would you trust a bum to be alone in the store from 4AM until when the next staff arrives at 5:30?
We also CANNOT call the cops on them unless they are sitting on our property. But the sidewalk is HRM property. For the cops to be called, they must be causing a problem, not an inconveinance.
Don’t get me wrong..they annoy me when I’m leaving everyday begging for my tip money that I just spent hours on my feet earning. Some of them are incredibly rude too. Just trying to point out that many can’t get jobs yet due to being homeless, addicted, etc etc.
I gave one a bus ticket once too !!! Then they turned around and sold it, what a piss off !!! It’s one thing to ask for help, it’s another to abuse it !!!
I hate when you go down to the commons and the stupid young fucks, getting drunk, brag about how they bought colt 45 by panhandling.
A guy I know (although I wouldnt call him a friend) pretends to be homeless and laughs about the poor schlubs he rips off!
With that being said, Ive met a few really, really, nice homeless people – who dont hassle me, and Ive even had decent conversations with. But to the rest of them, the young ones especially, its just a frustration! I normally give change, if (and I know it sounds cheesy) I get a good vibe from it – but theres some people I just see, and want to go all Born Again christian on their asses, give them a bible and a lecture instead of change so they might leave me the hell alone the next time I walk by!
I threaten to burn the bums with a lit cigarette. It works for me.
When I was in Montreal, a cabbie told me that a bum we were driving by drove a Beemer… he specialized in accents and could talk like wherever Americans were from so they’d take pity…
I think people on the sidewalks smoking and blowing their nasty filthy stinky smoke out all over me are more annoying than pan handlers… get off the sidewalk!
Call it a survival tactic. The guy wants your money likely to service some addiction. Experience taught him telling the truth about addiction gets him nothing so don’t get all offended when he tells you what he thinks you would prefer to to hear in parting with your pocket change. Don’t presume to know what’s best for this human being either, you just don’t. Simple. Either cough up the change or move on but don’t be the man’s judge (or mother). Who gives a rats ass why he’s begging for change? He feels he must! Have a heart and help him or close your heart but don’t be presumptuous and don’t judge.
How did I miss this bitch? There are so many of you!