If you are begging, have some integrity

I can't stand people who will lie to my face just to get money. I walked down Forth Avenue at night one Saturday Evening, I was stopped by a guy who asked for bus fare. This is probably the third time this happened. The first two who asked me for bus fare, I asked where they were going and what bus route they were taking, and they gave me a route that doesn't go there! Since they lied, I decided I'm not going to give them my hard earned money. But this most recent incident was just ridiculous. At one in the morning some street person asked me for bus fare. All he had to do is check their website to not get caught in a lie. Route 8 is the latest running bus route in the city of Tucson, and on Saturday it finishes its route at 9:30 pm.

You expect me to believe that you need bus fare when you missed the last bus by over 4 hours and somehow you didn't know it? Yea, the bus system in this town could definitely be improved, but obviously, you are a liar! How else could you be that clueless about the bus schedules? If you actually rode the bus you would have a rough idea of what the bus schedules were, and what times they run. Worse yet, after I clearly caught him in a lie, he had the audacity to then change his story to say "I need money toward cab fare." I am not going to help someone who lies to me. If you want money, at least have some honesty. Its people like this guy, who probably is begging for money to get alcohol or drugs, who are the reason why we are reluctant to help those on the street who truly need the help.

Whats just as bad is this one guy at Rincon Market. I see him there every time I visit, regardless of the day. He has been there every day at least since January. In the amount of time he spends begging, had he spent it looking for a job, he probably would be employed. For that matter, he doesn't even look all that desperate. I wouldn't be surprised if he worked somewhere like in Oro Valley, and comes out begging after he gets off work. The one time I went to Rincon Market during the week I got there around 4:30 and he wasn't there. When I left around 5, he was setting up. He's there so often now, he doesn't even bother asking the regulars for money. To them, he just waves and says hello. I know its a bad economy, but this guy isn't even trying to help himself. He is making a career out of begging.

Now I don't mind helping people when I can, but if you want my help, you have to at least have some integrity; I want to be able to believe I am actually helping someone who needs it, and not just funding a liar or a career beggar. 

Photo taken from wikipedia