On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:24:24 -0500, Lou Decruss
> fired up random neurons and synapses to opine:

<snippidy>

>Being over served didn't help, but I'll never know what "really"
>happened that night, if she was telling the truth, or if I did the
>right thing.

You just never know if someone is truly in need or you're just being
played. My boss and I were crossing a parking lot a couple of weeks
ago when a woman in one of those whirl-around gigs approached us. She
introduced herself by name, said this was the most embarrassing thing
that had ever happened to her, but she needed $20 for her meds (a
pharmacy was right across the street) and anything we could spare
would be appreciated. Sincerity just *dripped* off her. My boss
*rarely* has cash on him due to a bad case of teenageritis at home and
all I had were $20s, so I gave her one. She just about wept with
gratitude then *bolted* out of the parking lot, making a bee line for
the pharmacy. I told my boss that if I'd been played, I didn't care. I
also didn't want to know about it if I *had* been played, as it might
keep my hand out of my pocket the next time for someone who *was* in
need.

OTOH, I recall a time a few years ago in Amsterdam that this American
kid approached the DH and me, saying he just needed $20 to be able to
buy air fare back to the states. The kid was giving off a vibe, so I
just pushed my sunglasses down my nose and said, "Does this work very
often for you?" He just grinned and said, "Uh-huh."

Then there's the homeless woman who sits on a bus bench right in front
of LA Superior Court. She must just about live there, as she's been
there every single time I've been to LASC for years. She never
panhandles, just sits quietly, not making eye contact, keeping one
hand on a big bag of her belongings. If you offer her a bill, she'll
quietly take it, never acknowledge it further, still not making eye
contact.

OB: Just made a big batch of tapioca for the DH. Funny how tapioca can
float his boat just as well as a far more complicated dessert.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"