Posted on 04/06/2005 12:35:48 PM PDT by Willie Green
On Opening Day, the beggar and the baby didn't have tickets.
If you walked across the Clemente Bridge Monday on your way to PNC Park for the Pirates' 2005 debut against the Milwaukee Brewers, perhaps you noticed them.
The 8-month-old child sat in a small stroller. His 38-year-old father steadied in the stiff breeze a cardboard sign onto which he had scrawled, "I am a single father who is out of work."
Shortly before game time, the beggar stared into the tattered McDonald's cup containing the day's proceeds thus far -- a buck and a half, perhaps; two bucks, tops.
"Trying to get some diaper money," he explained.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
Ummm - wouldn't that be the MOTHER that walked out on them...Out of wedlock births are the #1 predictor of poverty.
Wonder if he filed his income tax return, yet.
It's Bush's fault.
Doesn't this state have the WIC program, or ADC (Aid to dependent children) or food stamps - all the usual to programs to help out .
I feel sorry for the kid: this man is unmarried an apparently unable to work, why is he bringing a child into the world?
(2) Is it wise to leave a child in the custody of a homeless guy on depression medication?
(3) Does this man not have a mother or father? Sisters or brothers? Aunts or uncles? Anyone who could lend him, or more importantly, his child a hand?
(4) His main excuse for being unemployed seems to be that he's too sleepy to work. To put it mildly, that's not the best excuse I've ever heard.
(5) The reason why he hasn't given the child up for adoption or to a female relative is because he knows that the kid is his "draw" for his panhandling. If the kid were adopted, his "TOO SLEEPY TO WORK, PLEASE HELP" sign wouldn't be nearly as lucrative.
I have seen here in Helena the panhandlers stay in the motel by the Albertsons store and then work the entrance to the store in shifts and you can see them walk across the lot to the motel and go in! I have also directed some to the God's Love which is a place they will let them stay and eat etc until they get on their feet. None of them want directions to there they want JUST $$$. Being the capital city we have ALL the giveaway programs but they just want the $ and one day I got chased with a grocery cart by a lady wantng money and I directed her to the God's Love. She was swearing at me and coming at me with her cart - I threw it into drive and took off! I have problems feeling sorry for them. The new thing too is young couples - too lazy to work so they panhandle-saw them get out of a relatively new car park it a few blocks away grab their cardboard signs and "go to work" begging!
My daughter tells me over and over again - no one should go hungry or without a place to stay - there are programs that can accomodate anyone. She works for the state (mental health program). Most of the people on the street will not stay in a program - most are panhandling for their drug of choice.
In the summer, we have problems with the professional panhandlers. The police try to keep them off the street - will find they have a new car and are sleeping in a hotel every night. They travel around chasing the tourists and the sun. Sure sign of spring - the panhandlers return.
The person who suggested that the baby should not be left inthe care of a single father who is unemployed because of depression and the effects of medication has a point. Probably the child protection services are too busy investigating some loving father who has been accused by his spouse during divorce proceedings - a sure way to get the court to look at the father with jaundiced eyes.
If someone begs for money telling me they haven't eaten I will always go into a restaurant and buy them a carry out meal and hand it to them. Almost invariably they throw the food away (a few will shrug and eat it)and I had one guy cuss me out big time before he threw the meal in the street saying, "I don't want *&%%** food! I want money!" I've pretty much given up.
Why is his rent $400? He probably qualifies for section 8 housing. How long before the people from social services pick that kid up?
I came out of my local supermarket the other day. A kid about 16 or 17 was sitting on top of the line of shopping carts outside the exit. He was well-dressed, and had on a brand new pair of Nikes.
"Say," he asked, "You got 50 cents?"
I looked at him and said, "Yup. Why do you ask?"
"Can I have it?"
"Nope."
What the heck? I don't mind helping folks out, but this kid couldn't even be bothered to stand up to panhandle. I have no idea why he wanted 50 cents, but with his nice clothes and new Nikes, he'll probably wait quite a while.
Gypsies do the same thing. Sometimes they will even rent or borrow a kid if they don't have one of their own.
"I'd have to pay somebody to watch him all the time I was at work."
Not true. My daughter is the director of a day care and there are several programs that will assist you with child care costs.
Pennsylvania definitely has a WIC program:
http://www.pawic.com/
Long before becoming a parent, Jimmy was a laborer. He hasn't worked in nearly two years. The medication he takes to counter his depression leaves him too sleepy, he said.
You've got to be kidding me.
"Still wouldn't have any money even if I did have a job," he said. "I'd have to pay somebody to watch him all the time I was at work."
If I've heard people in this predicament say this kind of thing once, I've heard it one thousand times. Where are this guys parents, grand parents? Does he belong to a church? Does the church run a nursery? Is there someone at the church that runs a small nursery from home for a few $$ on the side to make ends meet?
Besides being a pathetic writing job by this hack from the Pittsburgh Tribune, this story doesn't ask the tough questions that need to be asked here: see my above paragraph. An addendum to that would also be... does Jimmy own a TV, cd's, stereo? There are pawn shops where he could get sell his crap and get some cash to pay for basics for his child for a few weeks, a month until he can figure out exactly what to do...work on getting child care for the little guy while he works. Also, I would say that if he's not already...living off of Ramen noodles and sitting by the radio is what is called for in this situation, to save cash.
There are a million hard luck stories in the naked city and 999,999 have solutions (though they may require sacrifice and a lot of plodding) to them.
But he's not too sleepy to panhandle. What a friggin loser. No wonder he's depressed. He's a lazy, ignorant loser.
I've found this to be the case many times too... most homeless aren't down on their luck. They are wino's or addicts or I'v heard of some that literally make a living pan handling then live out in the burbs, odd. The percentage of people that are REALLY down on their luck is minute and there are definitely social programs for them and they know.
But I still feel sorry for the poor baby.
I've seen some hard-luck cases, though. My wife and I were eating in a fast food joint one time. I saw a car with out of state plates in the back of the parking lot.
There was a woman and three kids in the car. A man was going through the dumpster behind the place, pulling out partially eaten meals.
So, I went back into the restaurant and bought five meal deals and took it out back and gave it to the guy, along with a $10 bill.
I told him I didn't like seeing him digging food out of the dumpster for his family. He thanked me profusely for the food, and told me that they had run out of gas and only had to go about 20 more miles before they got to a relative's house. He didn't even have a quarter to use to call the relatives.
They were moving to the area, but a breakdown had used up their limited funds. They had almost gotten to their destination. My little help got them the rest of the way, and with full stomachs.
It's a matter of assessing the situation, it seems to me.
There are rules that has to be abided by in order to receive services. Most are not that difficult to adhere to either. I have worked as a case manager for people with severe mental illnesses and this fella doesn't pass the smell test if he is on meds with a baby to care for. There are plenty of programs available for his situation. His isn't the norm but if he is receiving MH services they have all of the resources to assist him and his child. He is probably working on getting SSI disability therefore that is why he "can't" work.
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