How bad can it be to be homeless in this state !

[Raider Ronnie]

I took a ride into Boston today with my boys to see a freind.
We got off the expressway in Boston and there was a homeless man walking with a sigh and I saw people in some cars in front of me hand him dollar bills.
When the light changed and I got closer to him I watched him reach into his back pocket and pull out his cell phone to answer a phone call
I don't want to bash homeless people, but I couldn't help to wonder if he was just a scammer or if this is the new generation of homeless people in this state.
Ronnie

[cheferson]

You can make good money pan handling in boston. All fired up one night after a celtics game , my buddy decided to pan handle a lil, made about $80 in under an hour.

[Fly Rod]

Allot of sympathises in this state!!! That is why it is full of demorcrats!!!!

Panhandling in the late sixties and seventies was very popular with the flower child years!!! Easy way to make good money!!!

[Newboater]

Now this guy is honest.


Sarge

[sportsman]

I love the people out there in new nike' sneakers, brand new jackets and they give you this super sad look so you actually feel guilty for not giving to them. There are people that need the money and are hard up but can anyone tell the difference?

[chris L]

thay arnt all homeless ! we have a begger here at the college that asks for cash and bust chops if you dont give him money and at the end of the day he walks two blocks gets in his car and goes home . I busted him one day and asked WTF ? he said he was suplementing his retirement by hand outs . Go take a flying leap . Gives the truely needy a bad name .

[kippy]

People never cease to amaze me..thats why I generally do not give to the homeless..ya never know..

[fishweewee]

Man, it would SUCK to be homeless in Boston, especially in the winter. I'd rather be homeless in the Florida Keys. Brrrrrr.......

Anyhoo, the funniest story I remember was summertime in Cambridge. There was a lady who dressed up in nothing but a black garbage bag asking for handouts by the T in Harvard Square. She LOOKED like she was in bad shape (disheveled, smelly, etc). Turns out she had an apartment in Brighton.

[FishermanTim]

There's this one lady that panhandles around the downtown crossing area (near Filenes & Macy's) asking for help supporting her children, all the while toting around a portable oxygen tank with all the tubing.
I never gave her any cash, but I did follow her after she had collcted some handouts, and she processed to spend it all on scratch tickets. Since I used to work in that area, I saw this on a regular basis. What a scam!
The other example was another woman that begged for "loose change" near South Station. My co-workers and I referred to her as the "hairdo lady", because one time she stood out there begging with a new perm. I also saw her depositing her daily take in the old Baybank branch across the street on numerous occaisions. I don't mind people panhandling, but I won't give because there are way too many scammers out there.
Note that the truly homeless are usually too proud or embarassed to beg for anything.
Just my $0.02 worth.

[28inches]

A homeless guy living under an overpass in Queens,NY has a portable a/c unit running off power from a street light pole. Must have been a Boy Scout at one time. I'm stuck roasting in wall to wall traffic, and he's cool as a cucumber.