I Tried to do my Good Deed for the Day

[metaphorge]

This afternoon I was at the Richmond, CA, AMTRAK station, waiting for the train to take me to see my beloved darkmoon (who I have been pretty seriously dating for several months; it just occurred to me that I may not have mentioned that in my LJ previously) in Sacramento. A man very cautiously approached me and said that he had just been released from prison and needed help getting enough money together to get to Sacramento. He was holding his release papers in front of him as he said this.

I really did not have enough cash on me to help out, but I offered something possibly better... I have a ticket for multiple trips between Richmond and Sacramento, and it can be used to take additional passengers other than myself. Each trip only costs me $11, so why not? Either the guy went to prison for breaking a law I probably didn't agree with in the first place, or at the very least someone deserves some breaks once they've served some serious time.

So, the guy agreed, then went back down into the station.

He had not come back up by the time the train arrived, and I rushed and called his name to make sure he knew the train was there, but he was nowhere to be seen. Somewhat reluctantly I got on the train at the last possible minute before the doors closed. The train pulled away.

I can't help but feel slightly bad to have left him behind. Sure, he knew when the train was to arrive; sure, maybe he was telling his sad story to shake people down for money for purposes other than what he stated.

Sure, maybe I'm a sucker to have offered to help in the first place.

I'd much rather that be the case than the guy mistakenly thinking that I said I'd help and then just did not.

In any case, I sincerely hope that someone else made the choice to give this guy a hand.

At times when you're really down, a random act of kindness can make all the difference in the world.

I hope that my offer at least made the day a little brighter; the air a little fresher; his newfound freedom a little more free.

Yeah, I'm probably a sucker. Sometimes maybe the world needs more suckers....

Comments

[stoneself.livejournal.com]

yeah. sometimes.

compassion is a good thing.

[box3.livejournal.com]

The world needs more random acts of kindness.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

You did everything you could in your power to help someone.

Reminds me of the time I met someone for the first time--we'd been chatting online for quite some time and he happened to be coming into town for business. We had dinner at a little Middle Eastern restaurant. I am a notoriously slow eater, so by the time we were done with dinner, I still had half of mine left. I asked for it to be boxed up. We were just about to make our way out when a gentleman came up to our table and said that he hadn't eaten in a few days and could we give him some money for some food? I said that I didn't have any cash (which probably was true, as I tend to live on my debit card), but he could have my dinner, and I handed him my bag. He took it. My friend asked me why I did that, and at the time I just shook my head. But really, what else could I have done? I would rather know that he actually had the food he said he needed instead of giving him dimes and nickels and hoping that that would translate into nutrition.

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I generally don't like giving people change. It's probably pretty ambivalent and only makes me feel better personally, but I tend to not give panhandlers change very often and then hand someone twenty or thirty dollars every once in a great while.

I'll freely give people leftovers anytime they ask for it. I guess I'm more comfortable making sure it really is going to go towards food, though $deity only knows I can't begrudge someone getting high if they're in that sort of circumstance.

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

Also, I tend to feel a lot better about giving people money when they ask for if they at least preface it with a short explanation for why they need it, even if the reason why is pretty obvious. It might be a total lie, but at least they took the initiative to make up a story in that case.

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

While there are people out there who take advantage of others, IMO, it's worth it for the times I've been able to genuinely help someone--or been helped. You did what you could, and that's moer than most could say.

[badger.livejournal.com]

Classic scam story: I would place high probability that he wanted the money and was lying. Agreeing with you was the simplest way he had to disengage himself from you once you offered a solution that he should well have taken if he was sincere. Good for you for attempting to help. Also good you didn't lose $11 in the process.

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I did take the possibility it was a scam into account, and since the amount he was short the single-trip ticket price was exactly $11 (he said he had $7 already, the single ticket costs $18.50), it was a win-win scenario all the way around.

That said, even if I could not have offered him the trip, I would probably have given him the $11 anyway if I had it, as the possibility of it being a scam was outweighed by the potential helpfulness of the act. I'm much more comfortable with giving charity for a specific goal in mind; at the very least, the money rewards a convincing scam story.

[xaotica.livejournal.com]

unfortunately that scam is pretty popular in seattle. the other one which was very popular for awhile was approaching people at gas stations with a gas can in your hand and saying that your car ran out of gas somewhere relatively far away and you foolishly left your wallet at home and can't reach anyone who could help you. but if you offer to drive them to the 'car' or attempt to go inside with them to purchase the gas they disappear

[tiggrrl.livejournal.com]

When I used to ride the bus all the time, I would give people bus passes if they asked for money for the bus. Maybe they turned around and sold the pass to someone else, but at least I had tried to help, and I was only out one bus pass. I also carried energy bars with me and gave them out when people asked for moeny for food. Yeah, some people were probably scamming me, but I also had people be very grateful for the food, so I'd rather take the risk and help.

in downtown Sacramento there are a few little red parking meters set into the sidewalk in the walking 'mall' along K street. If you put in money it goes to an agency that helps the homeless, which I like better than handing someone my change. On the one hand, I can see where someone would want a beer, or to get high, if they're living that life, but that doesn't mean that I want my money to go to that.

[thatdamnninja.livejournal.com]

I never give people money (sorry world, but LA is fucking full of grifters and they have convinced me that everybody is a scammer), but I have occasionally bought people food and drinks when they seemed in a bad way. I used to be a lot more generous, but I got taken to the cleaners over and over until I 'learned my lesson'.

[witchchild]

I don't often give people money, but I would have done the same as you with the ticket had I been in that situation. You tried. It may have been a scam, but you tried.

[shirtlifterbear.livejournal.com]

The Alliance Against Homelessness recommends doing EXACTLY what you did:

Never, ever give money, and try to make what they asked for happen!

Offering a ticket? Fantastic Idea!

(I was the occasional "McDonald's Combo Meal" dispenser in my old neighborhood. One bag lady called me the Hamburgler. I spent a little money, they got a meal, it didn't go to drugs or liquor. Win-win.)

[kain-alexious.livejournal.com]

Hey you did everything you good and the gods know many wouldn't have done what you tried to do. I know I wouldn't have. I'd like to believe that whatever happened to that guy though he appreciated you doing what you can for the guy and honestly that kind of kindness catches on him. Ex-con though he was maybe all he ever needed was a little kindness of the kind you tried give.