Jesus that guy with the glasses who spits on you when he says “Scuse me do you have any spare change.” You know who I mean, the guy with the toque on and plastic coffee cup, about 45? Damn guy if ya want some spare change don’t spit on me, shit. I work 35 hours a week, gotta pay $620 rent and buy some hydro, so I don’t freak out on people like you, get off yer damn ass, hell if yer on disability yer making more then me, fuck sake. Next time ya ask me : “Scuse me spare change?” I’ll say “Ya, gee thanks” and take $2.25 from your cup, take the bus home and have a nice free spraying day. —Ernie Candyman Stuart
This article appears in Mar 18-24, 2010.
The problem isn’t the people asking for change — it’s the people who give them change. As long as there are people giving them money, they’re gonna ask — if people stopped, they’d stop too.
When a person on the street asks me for money, I just wanna turn to them and ask, “You have money for my student loan?”
If someone says “spare change for some food/coffee/bus ticket/specific thing”, I will say (time permitting) “sure, let’s go to the coffee/sandwich/bus ticket store now”. Usually they say no, never mind and it’s over with. I bought a homeless-ish guy a 5 dollar coffee and 7 bucks worth of cookies etc at the Goat because he looked hungry and he asked. I don’t always do it, but if it’s not a big whoop financially and they ask and have the need, I do it sometimes.
But squeegee dudes/dudettes, coffee cup-shakin’ “spare some change? ok, have a nice day” folks I don’t. Though my wheelchair usually discludes me from getting asked, because I’m such a poor bastard, right? 🙂
Yay!
I just say: ‘Everybody’s got a sad story, buddy.’ and they seem to leave me alone after that.
best way to avoid him, is to, we , avoid him. plain as that, booby.
“”Though my wheelchair usually discludes me from getting asked, because I’m such a poor bastard, right?”‘
lol…not only that…have you ever been OFFERED cash from a “well-meaning” stranger ’cause you’re in a chair?
Let me guess, this is Mister Goldielocks who once called my mom a tightass midget? (She’s 5’0”) Ugh.
That crazy tall bum dude, Mike I think his name is, is back as of a few months ago, hanging out in front of Shoppers usually, though he’s a lot more tame now compared to how he was beforehand. And man the bums at Timmy’s on South End part of Barrington Street now, man! Catch ya as you come out of the drive-through, sneaky bastards.
I had a woman say to me the other day “spare any change? Anything helps.” I told her “yeah, a fucking job helps too!”
OK, I didn’t actually tell her that, though I did mention it to my friend who I was walking with when she was out of earshot. Does that count?
I’m gettin fed up with it too…
stopped saying sorry and all that.
it’s “nope” or stone silence from me.
I’ve never had change I just wanted to throw away…
nor have I yet to encounter a single pack of smokes that comes with an ‘extra one’…
not that I really smoke anymore…
it ain’t bad yet though, just wait for more sun and summer time… it gets bloody ridiculous round south end and by the water.
NEVER give these leeches of society money.
i find laughing like a lunatic keeps unwanted folks at bay
This UNTAGGED bitch is amongst a slew of “this is getting old” bitch. If you don’t like it now- wait a month or so. They’ll be out all over the place, in all shapes, sizes and smells. I dread walking SG in the summer.
bumm fights!
Bum fights? – Good call, I’ll stay tuned on Youtube for those, zZz keep me informed.
We could have a weekly turf war, like the little deaf bum downtown going up against Spring Garden Road crazy guy bum for the coveted corner of Prince and Barrington. The Mayor will referee.
One of my best buds will actually ask the bums, “What do you plan to do for my spare change?” He claims that some have danced or sang and that he continues to make them work for it. One time he grilled a group near Parade Square and seemingly taunted them.
What I hate hearing is, “Anybody want to help out today?” Sure, I’ll help you when you decide to help yourself, rummy.
Wow. Some people you don’t have a place to live like you do so can’t get benefits from the government and would swallow down a piece of bread in one bite because they are starving. Try having some compassion and being thankful that you don’t have to be begging for change on the street corner yourself or turning tricks.
Fuck you!
Most of these people are scammers and deserve to be shit on. The pirate at the NSLC buys scratch tickets, the “no-small-change” dude buys liquor and other downers, and the young bus ticket bitch lives in that big apartment on Queen Street with the blonde guy.
And if they have problems with drugs or addictions please note that nobody here was shoving a pipe in their mouth or a needle in their veins.
dude on east hastings came up to me today : ” hey buddy you wanna buy some aboriginal art ” me after perusing this priceless piece : ” AHH yeah; well you might not wanna give up your crack smok’n day job up just quite yet there fella ” 🙂
535.00 a month is what people get on Social Services Disability – just so you know – that is it. If you don’t get the disability it is 400.00 a month – thats it. Yes I work hard for my money too – so sometimes I give out a looney or 2 and sometimes I hand out some food or Tim’s coupons. And before you call all street person’s lazy 80% suffer from Psychosis and other serious Mental Illness. And yes most should be in hospital but the government closed all those beds so now we only have about 50 beds in all of Metro for hundreds of very ill people from all over NS. Closed the beds and promised community care but never opened the group homes so 1700 stay in shelters and on the street. Next time back up from the spitter and hope it is never you or your kid that gets that ill since 1 in 5 people do!!!
“buy some hydro” and mellow out.
I find it hard to believe there are so many ignorant people in this city who actually believe people suddenly choose to become homeless and addicted to illicit drugs. A huge proportion of homeless individuals have a serious mental illness, do not have any support from family or friends, have suffered great physical, emotional, or sexual abuse during childhood. They are certainly not individuals who were raised in a middle/upper class family and decided to try drugs at a party one night and throw their life away. They also are certainly not “scammers” or taking advantage of the “system”. Many individuals just try to get enough money for a meal or two every day in order to survive. Next time someone asks you for change, have some fucking compassion. There is so much discrimination and stigma around homelessness and drug addictions and you are simply perpetuating it and making life even harder for people on the streets.
Mr Frosty-
I was away for 10 days so just saw your comment.
Yes, sometimes I get people walk up and try and give me money. I was in Cairo for the last 10 days and 5 mins after giving alms to a poor elderly lady a poor disabled man with a weird eye tried to hand me some money. I thanked him, smiled and said no thanks.
Even in the streets of Cairo I’m a poor bastard!