Helping complete strangers

[longtimers]

Boyzs,

Few years back I was looking for something on Kijiji and saw a message of a girl that needed grocery for Christmas.
She's a single mother that couldn't meet both ends for her daughter. So I did a grocery for them... for over six months.
I know what you are thinking and no there was no sex exchange involved.
I just want to hear what you guys had done that was purely a gesture to help a stranger.

Longtimer

 

[montreal1010]

Never assume. It might cost you. Big.

 

[protagoras]

Boyzs,


I just want to hear what you guys had done that was purely a gesture to help a stranger.

Longtimer

There was a time when I was giving resourceful tips to complete strangers asking very specific information on either Montreal and São Paulo scene. At a certain time, I realized that it was a waste of time when I helped an American dude to have a better experience both in Montreal and São Paulo. The fu****g bas***d never shared back his info on the different forums. The worst is that he left his wife in order to spend more time with sex workers ... :doh:

This is one of the reasons why now I don't share anymore to much info on different forums. I only share it with hobbists respecting the "hobbyist code of honour".

 

[Anong]

It is over ten years, when I used to go a lot to strip club. One outside the strip club 369 on Cure Labelle a girl came to me and asked if I could give her some money to put Gas in her car, as she was going to St Jerome. I gave her $20 to help her and there was a dude with her as well. After couple of week I saw the same girl with same dude in front of Sexpert strip Club with the same story. I told her that at least change the story and ask some help from the guy, who is always with you!

 

[Mistral]

I have helped several on GoFundMe. Lots of unfortunate stories on there.

One in particular I remember, a landscaper who obviously depends on his truck for doing jobs. But his truck was broken and he needed funds for repairs. He wasn't raising much in his campaign. I felt really sorry for him, it seemed legit because he disclosed his real business name. It takes guts to go public like that so I figured things were pretty bad. I made a nice contribution. Soon after he sent me a note expressing his deep gratitude. I hope he got back on his feet.

 

[hungry101]

I've contributed to many Go Fund Me accounts. Never more than 50$. Once, one of the girls that had assisted me for years from behind the counter at a major retail store for confided in me that she was in financial trouble. At the chain she worked I couldn't just hand her cash. Believe it or not, they looked for that kind of thing on film. So I asked for her keys and put 50$ under her floor mat. She was working nearly full-time, going to school and pregnant.

 

[longtimers]

Never assume. It might cost you. Big.

Not sure what you mean by that.

 

[longtimers]

Many times, but I will never give cash.

If someone is hungry, I'll ask them what they want to eat, and offer to buy them food.

If someone needs gas, I'll go to the gas station and help them fill it.

If someone is short $ on the bus, I'll cover it.

I don't give cash as well. I rather spend more to buy food for them then giving them 2$.

 

[Chigen]

I had a guy come up to me ( early 20s ) wrapped in a blanket with no coat in 8C temperature. He asked for money, I offered him a job. He
never showed up 3 blocks away to work.

 

[hungry101]

A good friend of mine who departed a few months ago had the same experience. He was a good sole. He gave a guy who was standing on the roadside with an "I'l work for food" sign some cash. He went to work that day and was telling everyone how he felt bad for the guy and gave him money etc. By the end of the day, he convinced his boss that they should give the guy a position as floor sweeper. So the next day, my friend told the guy he had great news. He found him a job so he could work for a good wage (these were at the time all union shops). The guy never showed up. He refused to leave his corner.

 

[No_Church_InThe_Wild]

Chigen it’s cool that you offered him a job.
But are we really surprised that he didn’t show up?
Most tend to run away like it’s the plague , they don’t see it as an opportunity.
Let’s not forget that a lot of these homeless street bums are folks with mental illnesses and it’s not always for reasons of simple laziness.
At least that’s what I tend to think when I make the occasional toonie contribution.
And then I count my blessings .

 

[Doggyluver]

Most of us are on this page because we hobby. That being said this hobby is expensive to say the least, I for one give and help where ever I can, I don't question as much as perhaps I should. I have bought groceries for people, bought a meal and sat with them , Paid for transportation and more. This is the way I was raised, to help those less fortunate than I am. Some out there want help and others just want to take advantage of those willing to help, it's not up to me to judge them or figure out which is which. Rather than take clothing I won't wear to a bin in a shopping centre to be sent overseas to be re-sold I will bring in downtown and give it to those on the street who need the extra warmth. I only wish I was able to do more for more people. We live in a world with so much wealth and yet more people than ever are homeless, we have a responsibility to help our fellow man, I try my best.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Was in Vancouver for 7 months this year, the amount of beggars is amazing, the percentage of Quebecers on the street begging is very high. Seems like they have their " territory " intersection median spoken for. I pick and choose who I give money to, the elderly are on top of the list and addicts on the bottom. I know addiction is a disease but the elderly come first with me. Going to the Robert Plant concert, an old lady was sitting close to the lineup with a cup, no one was even throwing in a loonie, when I got close I put a $20 in her cup, got a smile from her and a God bless, that started the ball rolling, the girl ahead of me nudged her companion to give some money and then others did the same.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Earlier this month, I found a dropped wallet outside my work building. It belonged to a 20-something guy who still carries his Social Security card with him. Found him on Facebook and turns out he lives hours away and he drove to the city to bring his dad in for medical services. So best option was to mail him the wallet-- yep, it cost me money to be a decent person. It took two trips to the post office and two separate mail fees because he initially texted me a slightly incorrect address. How do you get your address wrong? Apparently, he's living with his girlfriend's and that's the address she gave him. When he finally got his wallet back, I had to ask him first instead of him proactively saying "Got the wallet. Thanks!"

He offered to pay me for my efforts but I told him the cost of my services was for him to pay it forward. Given his disorganized and scatterbrained nature, I wasn't expecting anything from him. Part of me even wondered if it was a scam of sorts but nah, the kid is just not with it. Nonetheless, he insisted he'd pay me. Haven't heard from him since. Next time, I'm going to embrace my inner scumbag and ring up a bunch of drinks on his card at a strip club.

 

[hungry101]

He offered to pay me for my efforts but I told him the cost of my services was for him to pay it forward. .... Haven't heard from him since. Next time, I'm going to embrace my inner scumbag and ring up a bunch of drinks on his card at a strip club.

Of course your not. You did the right thing. I found two wallets in my life that I can remember and I returned both. When I was a teen I got n the wrong crowd and I took a purse. I couldn't live with myself. I returned it. I'm not a thief. I can joyfully pick up found money off the ground but if I can confirm that it belongs to someone, I have to return it. I remember I was driving home from work and I saw paper currency on the outlawn of the street I was driving down. I pulled over and saw it was a 1$ bill. I picked it up. Then I saw another and another and than a 5$ and than a 20$ and than a wallet. I picked up the wallet and saw a license inside. When I got home I called the guy on my landline and his wife told me he was driving with the top down in a convertible and his wallet flew out.

 

[Bred Sob]

There is a famous Montréal personality known as "Crutch Lady", I wonder if anyone has met her. She was actually mentioned on this board as early as 2009, see post # 43 here:

https://merb.cc/vbulletin/showthrea...r-asked-me-for-a-hand-out-What-to-do&p=446539

Well, she is still around and keeps telling her bullshit story about her hospital ride that got cancelled and how cruel people are when she asks them for help. I saw her about a year ago on Park Ave (close to where YPG was at the time), there are numerous other reports as well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/montreal/comments/83cj4i/another_scammer_to_look_out_for_crutch_lady/

Please keep that in mind when you feel like helping her.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

There was also an old lady beggar in Calgary and she was followed by a reporter to her very nice apartment with expensive electronics and furniture. Not all beggars are homeless or penny less, some are scammers.

 

[J. R. Ewing]

There is a guy begging near the Metropolitan and St. Laurent. I have seen him use is I Phone and put on Beats headphone and ride off on his not so beat up bike.

 

[Halloween Mike]

If you guys wanna help a "complete stranger" i volonteer by the way

 

[loveless]

I gave this same girl 100$ on Kijiji,she needed groceries for her daughter.
She texted me a few other times,i never responded,didnt want to make it a habit.