So there’s lady who is at a max stop every time I am there. She is there both when I leave and come back. Every day. What she does is ask for money. She has an Asian accent, which I believe to be fake. Supposedly she needs money, every day, to catch the max to see her kids. Every day. She stands in the tracks of the max which is in a ditch making sure to pester people for money on both sides. She is there every day, if I haven’t said.
Over time, this lady has really… upset me. Just seeing her there bothers me. Hearing her annoys me. I know this is silly for me to be bothered by it. But she is there everyday asking for money. Yet I have never heard actually buy a ticket, even when I know she has enough. I have never seen her hop on a max.
She doesn’t look like your typical homeless person what so ever. She’s a middle aged women who I believe is possibly half of some Asian (oriental) decent. She doesn’t dress nice, but she doesn’t dress…. poor either. I know she isn’t using the money for anything good. She has extreme desperation when she asks. I have taken out my wallet and she would leave me alone even after I declined her proposal… over… annnndddddd over again… all within the same time frame.
I have many feelings about this woman. Some sad… some angry… I have witnessed her almost get hit by the MAX (Portlands mini railway system) multiple times just to ask people on the other side of the station for money we all know she won’t get. I have witnessed people run after her because she doesn’t notice the MAX. And she still constantly asks for money. Every day. Doing the same routine.
I think at first I had more pity for this woman than anything. Wishing she would just… move in life. Asking myself what happened in her life to make her think this is okay. What makes her so desperate for this money. Praying for her every time I saw her. I still do.
I have wondered about filing something, but I don’t think that would help any. I am almost certain she does drugs… Not because she seems like she’s on them… Just how desperate she is.
I always felt more bad for her than anything until I walked by her, she asked for money, I said, “no” and move on. Once I pulled out my wallet to buy a ticket… Which was a mistake that I knew was waiting to happen, she ran back up to me. Asking me over and over to spare some change. Me saying no. Over and over again. She then goes on to trying to flatter me saying “aww you handsome man. You cute” and saying as many charming words she can think of, while doing the eye lash thing cartoon woman do to make themself more “desirable”. My MAX was the next one and I had purchased my ticket waiting for it to dispense with the change. I get my ticket. She takes the change. SHE TAKES MY CHANGE. At that point I lost so much empathy towards this woman. I told her no. I let her take it and I was polite about it. But I was very annoyed. I told her no.
Since then, I have still seen her there asking for change… Several times I waited longer than needed to see if she leaves. Which was dumb because I have seen her there at different times through out the day.
Part of me wants to be Mr. Creeper and just…. follow her when she leaves for my own curiosity, but I feel thats very dangerous and well just really creepy of me. Another part really wants to file something about it. I don’t know if she would just be asked to leave. I don’t know if they would drug test her, put her into some institute, or if she would just move somewhere else and do the pity me bids.
If I see her again, I might just come with a bus pass in hand for her and see if she actually uses it. I might even confront her about seeing her their everyday asking her what she does with the money she receives. Whether its booze, drugs, or to feed some secret child, I have no idea.
I still continue to pray for her… and who knows, maybe the day I don’t see her there I’ll start to miss her. I guess I just wanted to say to people… there are some desperate people. It’s never cool to lose your temper… So be as kind as possible. I don’t know what the best option is to confront these people with… or if you should at all. I have also read articles about t “millionaire beggars” whether that title is an exaggeration or not, I am not sure, but it certainly leaves me skeptic. I guess really I just want to send positive thoughts and prayers to these people.