I met my first DU'er IRL tonight at the liquor store and helped a guy out.

[Guava Jelly]

As I was standing in line to purchase my evening poison.
This guy asked me if i posted on the underground and lo and behold it was evlbstrd.
Nice guy from the few minutes we talked.
I told him he was the first Duer I have meet off of the boards and the next time there is a Missouri/Kansas meet up I am there.

Also as I was leaving the store a gentleman of color asked me for some cash.Well I don't carry cash I mean ever..I use my Card.
He tells me how his wife is pregnant and his car is out of gas and how he asked a white guy for some change and he spit in his face and called him a Ni__er..He went on to tell me how he was part hispanic as if color or ethnicity mattered to me but I understood why he told me this.
If anyone knows me they know that I fucking HATE the N word and I have no idea if this guy was pulling a scam or what and frankly I didn't give a flying fuck.All I knew is that I couldn't just ignore this man i mean what if it was me?
I walked across the street to an atm and gave the guy 20 bucks.
He hugged me.
Now where did I put that bottle of wine?

[seriousstan]

1. wife is pregnant and his car is out of gas? That con is so old it has whiskers.

Let me sell you a bridge.

[Guava Jelly]

16. You could be right and probably are but hell it was only 20 bucks.

And I won't even miss it.

[Alexander]

42. Next time, offer to buy food.

That's how I determine who is worthy of my generosity and who isn't.

I've given lots of money to homeless people, only to see these same people "down on their luck" on the street corner a year later pushing the same sob story about how they can't afford rent for their apartment.

If they really need help/food/whatever, they'll say "yes" to your offer.

If they just want to booze it up and do drugs, they'll insist on money. I tell them to fuck off at this point.

Nice that you met a DUer, though.

[Runcible Spoon]

51. meh. so what if he uses it for booze and smokes.

I don't understand this "worthy of a handout" garbage. Like I always say who gives a shit whether he blows it on booze, smokes and weed; that's what I was going to spend it on anyway :shrug: Well, before I quit smoking cigarettes anyway :evilgrin:

[VenusRising]

2. I'm so happy that you finally got to meet your first DUer.

It's a great feeling knowing they are really out there and not just a figment of your message board experience. ;)

As for the other half of the story, even if it was a scam, you still earned yourself some good karma points.

You're so great! :hug::loveya:

[Guava Jelly]

17. Thats how I see it

I am not great at all..I am just a sucker for a sob story

[VenusRising]

36. Welll....

I think you're great!

That's all that matters. ;)

:loveya::hug:

[SPKrazy]

3. man

i wanna meet up with you too :P

i think you got conned,

but

hey

you helped a guy stay drunk and kept him off he streets maybe.

:hi:

[Guava Jelly]

18. It would be cool to meet you as well

I don't really care if i was conned.
If it was like 50 bucks i may have been pissed

[SPKrazy]

58. well good on ya!

you did a nice thing

:hi:

it would be cool to meet you

ya aren't that far away either :rofl:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear GoPsUx...

You did a very good thing tonight, helping that guy out, even though it was most likely a scam...

Very good karma, sweetie!

And you met evlbstrd? It has long been a dream of mine to meet him, as well as you! You lucky dog!

Of course, he is lucky to have met you too!

Enjoy your wine!

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

19. I just did what I would want done to me if I was in his shoes.

And I did enjoy the wine.
It was pretty neat meeting a non stranger :D

[Danger Mouse]

5. Dude, that dodge is one of the oldest in the book...heard it many times in Baltimore...

hell, i bet some of em rehearse their sob stories.
They all have the same line of bull, just with words switched around.
I'm more likely to give someone for change when they just ask, without trying to tell me some kind of story...I'm far too cynical to believe them, and I'm less likely to want to give money to a liar.
If they just ask, and don't try to qualify it, sure, I might give em some change.

[Guava Jelly]

20. Well he was a good actor if he was scamming

And he could have been.
But he seemed nice enough.
On that note there is this one guy who holds a sign that says and I quote "Need help with my alcohol research"
I'd throw him a buck for honesty if i carried cash

[Breeze54]

6. You, sir, are awesome!!!!!

:toast:

:hug: &

Happy Holidays!!! :D

[Guava Jelly]

21. I am just me

:D :hi:

[crim son]

7. Cool.

I'd love to meet a DUer like that, out of the blue. And I will choose to think the man you helped needed the help. I've been in the position of having to decide whether to be charitable or not, and I choose to be charitable. :pals: You rock, GoPsUx! Now, can I have a swig?

[Guava Jelly]

22. Sharing a glass of vino with you would be a dream.

I've got to make it up to Maine someday :D

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. I'm wondering what made Evlbstrd ask you if you posted on DU...

Were you wearing your bumper sticker? :P

That was a decent thing you did tonight. :hug:

[KitchenWitch]

9. I think GoPsUx has posted his photo enough that a lot of people would

know who he is in person.

[Connonym]

10. I was wondering the same thing!

although maybe Kitchy is right. What was it GOP? Isn't it cool how the world can be so small sometimes?

[Guava Jelly]

24. My millions of picture threads of course

And we knew we lived a stones throw from each other.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

43. Ah...Mystery solved.

But I'd still like to see you wear your bumper sticker! :P

[liberaltrucker]

11. Two DUers at a liquor store?

Yep, seems about right!

Any booze left?

:evilgrin:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. Sounds like the start of a joke, doesn't it?

Two DUers walk into a liquor store. The first one asks the guy at the register to recommend a good beer, so he says "Try Busch". Offended, DUer #1 goes into a tirade of expletives and punches the guy in the nose. DUer #2 pulls his friend off the cashier, and says, "Calm down, BushH8er, this fellow wasn't suggesting that you support Dumbyass; he was recommending Busch beer!"

"Ohhhhhh! Now I see!" says DUer #1, with a wink. And the two DUers take the cashier to the back of the store and force him to drink that shit.

[Guava Jelly]

26. he bought a few six packs of an interesting Pale ale and i bought

a red wine.
There may be a a little boose left

[grasswire]

12. I have just one worry

Did he follow you to the ATM? If he pulled a knife on you at the ATM, you could be out a lot more than $20.

Be careful out there!

[Breeze54]

14. Not everyone out there is a liar or a criminal.

Most people are inherently good.

Don't believe all the hype on TV.

[grasswire]

15. nobody knows that better than I do

But in some circumstances, going to ATM to draw out money for a stranger has resulted in disaster. That is inarguable.

[Guava Jelly]

27. He stayed across the street and I went into a busy convenience store

Besides I wasn't afraid of him at all.
Hell I could have took him if it came to that.
If he was a republican i would have been afraid ;)

[Indi Guy]

30. Don't fear homeless Republicans -- they don't exist...

;)

[SKKY]

23. I had a similiar experience, and I ended up wishing I had just went ahead and given him money...

...I was walking to lunch one day, and this guy who was obviously homeless came up to me and asked me for money to get some food. Now, typically I don't just hand out money because my money is likely to purchase their beer, liquor, or worse. Well, on this particular day, and I don't know why it was THIS guy, but someone told me he was different. So, I told him that I wouldn't just give him money, but if he had the time, I'd be happy to buy him lunch and he can get whatever he wanted. Well, we ate at Einstein's, a place famous for Buffalo Burgers, and his bill came out to just shy of $30.00. I felt good because he was obviously hungry, but damn. $30.00 bucks? During our conversation, I found out that he was a veteran, and had been discharged for a physical impairment about 3 years before. Sad.

[Guava Jelly]

28. Man..

You did a nice thing.
I am sure his belly was grateful.

[SKKY]

31. What the hell are you doing up so late????

Yes, I believe he appreciated it.

[Guava Jelly]

32. I actually just woke up

I am normally in bed between 9-10 pm and awake at 3 am
The weekends i sleep in until about 6am

[SKKY]

34. Awake at 3:00am??? Holy hell man...

...you start that early?

[Indi Guy]

25. *APPLAUSE!!! *

:)

Good man.

[Guava Jelly]

29. Thank you

:D

[Callalily]

33. How wonderful

that you got to meet evlbstrd! And as far as your other story? I too would have (and have) given him the $20 bucks. I don't want to be judgmental, and who knows what his story is?

You're a good man and should be proud. <<<<< for you! and also a :hug:

[Guava Jelly]

48. That is the way I saw it.

It sort of reminds me of this verse from The Rose "It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give"
I don't mind being taken once in a while.
Besides the guy needed it more than I

[Orsino]

35. You may have been scammed...

...but someone down on his luck needs help, anyway. Anyone with the courage to ask ought to receive, IMO.

[Guava Jelly]

49. Maybe

But oh well..And you are right of course

[mitchum]

37. You met a DU-er and then you met a grifter...

however, I do have to give the guy credit for working the race card into the old "pregnant wife and out of gas" grift

[Solon]

38. I met my first DUer just this past week, actually I stayed with her for a week...

If you don't mind, I won't mention her name. She lives far away from me, and she dropped me off at the Greyhound bus station a couple of days ago, so I could go home. Anyways, I was walking on the sidewalk on the way up and a black guy asked for a couple of dollars because it was his birthday. I didn't have a lighter on me, so I asked him for a lighter and gave him 10 dollars for it, mostly because I didn't have any smaller bills.

[catmandu57]

39. I saw this last night and wanted to respond

but I can't type for shit in the dark, anyway it's good meeting up with other DUer's I haven't been down to the city for over a year now, so i don't know how the meetups are going. I plan on coming down next April to the Surplus Exchange, maybe we can lite a fire under everyone to get some kind of party going before then.

[BarenakedLady]

40. Cool

You are a good man, GoPsUx.

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

47. I just hate hearing the N word

I hope what ever he spent the money on he enjoyed it.
:hug: hey you :D

[Shine]

41. cool story, bud

you're a good guy and your kindness will be returned to you, trust me. what goes around, comes around. :loveya: it's a universal law.

i haven't read your whole thread, so maybe you already spelled this out: but I'm curious, how did evilbastard know you posted on DU?? what was the give away? :shrug: it seems like an arbitrary thing to ask somebody in line. :D

:hi:

[Guava Jelly]

46. We live less than 10 minutes away from each other

And we have seen each others pictures in threads here in the lounge.

[Shine]

55. Oh, that's too funny.

and you ARE rather unforgettable on film. :7

[Guava Jelly]

56. I hope in a good way

How is your Ipod touch treating you?
I love the hell out of mine

[Shine]

57. I have feelings for mine, too.

nice warm feelings.... :loveya:
Seriously, last night, from the privacy of my own bed, I uploaded the latest CD from Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals (it's great, btw). I've having a lot of fun with it. I don't really use the video option yet. I use it mostly when I go on bike rides. I've got a killer playlist for working out. :hi:

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

44. I've always suspected you were a sweetheart!

:loveya:

[Guava Jelly]

45. Don't believe the Hype

:D Thank you :hug:

[Writer]

50. $20 for someone needy? That's so YOU.

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

53. I know

I sorta suck..
:hug:

[bluethruandthru]

52. The guy may have been scamming you...

but maybe he wasn't. I think it's great that your instincts told you to help rather than turn away. Shows you have a kind heart. :hi:

[Guava Jelly]

54. Well thank you

I just imagined myself in a person like his shoes.The rest was easy.

[evlbstrd]

59. Hey, dude!

I think I've seen that guy out there before. We do get to know the regulars.
It was great to talk with you for just a minute. I'll get together with proud2Blib. She's our social secretary. We need another meetup.

[Guava Jelly]

60. Yeah we do.

What can I say I'm a liberal I give.
Yeah set something up..
I want to meet everyone.
It was really cool running into you.
Heck I figured we would someday.
:D

[evlbstrd]

61. It was bound to happen.

And we haven't had a get together in a long time.