Proverbs 30:15: “The leech has two daughters. Their names are ‘Gimme’ and ‘Gimme.’”
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Saturday 05/12/12, 3:00 p.m. — I tired today of strangers asking me for things when I was on smoke breaks out in front of the library.
Other homeless guys have talked with me about this in the past, expressing similar frustrations.
People talk about “What goes around comes around,” but when it comes to this stuff, I don’t see it. In my years in the ’hood (Barclay area, 2006-2011) I got the definite impression that it’s always the exact same individuals asking, asking, asking, and the “blessing” never gets passed on, nor do they ever give back.
They’ll bleed you dry.
I face a dilemma since I myself am not self-supporting. My family, my church, and several members of the church have all been very generous to me for quite a long time. I “testified” at worship the Sunday before Thanksgiving, that I pray to become able to be as generous, as others have been to me.
I am still responsible for right use of my resources.
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Monday 05/14/12, 7:00 a.m. — As usual, I left the mission to walk to Dunkin’ Donuts, where I normally hang out until the library opens. As I crossed the Shot Tower plaza, here was some person 50 feet away, sitting on a bench, calling to me and waving for me to come over. I could not see who it was.
It is most telling that the person wanted me, with my two heavy bags, to go 50 feet out of my way to talk to him, rather than walking over to where I was himself.
I dropped my bags where I was, and went over to him.
It was J___ F____. He doesn’t look or act like a mooch, though I don’t know what a mooch is supposed to look like. I loaned him bus fare once several months ago, and he never paid me back.
He asked in some detail about my plans for the day, and then asked me to lend him $3 till Thursday — payday. I was skeptical about his ability to get the check cashed the same day, but went back to my bags to get the money.
I don’t like to dig in my bag for my money when anyone can see me who knows what I’m doing.
I lent him the $3, but don’t think I’ll ever see it again. It’s the last money he’ll ever get from me.
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Monday 05/14/12, 5:30 p.m. — There must be something in the stars. It really is all the exact same people asking me for things today, who have done so many times in the past.
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Wednesday 06/29/16, 1:34 p.m. — Ran into J___ F____ yesterday at the library. Haven’t seen him in many months. He asked me for 75¢.
(Originally posted 10/25/13.)
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