I totally agree, Gracie. There are people making a good living doing this. I happened to notice the same guy at I-29 and Barry Rd. in KC for about a week, so one day, with nothing else to do, I sat in a parking lot and watched him for a couple of hours. This is a real busy intersection and quite a number of vehicles stopped and donated to him. This guy was really looked the homeless part - ratty clothes, unkempt hair, the homeless sign. He finished his "shift" and I watched him walk to a late model BMW and lo and behold, two females (appeared to be his wife and daughter, also looking the homeless part) that had been at other intersections on the other side of I-29 got into the Bimmer also. My curiosity was peaked at that point, so I discreetly (like I was back working "undercover") followed them to their home; turned out to be in a neighborhood of $350k and up homes. Apparently, they were making a very good living.

Not exactly True Detective but a good day's work. You're going to have a blast here when you're full time.

I commend your hard work. Most of us did the same thing with similar results. I do take issue with the notion we aren't privileged in the Villages. While we all worked hard, we were lucky to be born in the economic sweet spot called the baby boom. An economic time where a working man could join the middle class. For Millennials, this is a pipe dream. I too, came from a blue collar family ( Dad was an enlisted man in the Navy) but I had the privilege of growing up in a stable, loving two parent family. Many kids today aren't that fortunate. I had the privilege of being born white in the United States of America. I'm privileged my Lord blessed me with the means and intelligence to live like we do.

Drive 10 minutes from TV in any direction and you will see how privileged we are. Most of those poor people you see in surrounding communities didn't become poor through lack of hard work.

Best of times and the worst of times.
 

I appreciate GGs wisdom but every once in awhile an opportunity presents itself.

I drove to Gainesville yesterday to watch my eldest granddaughter play in a high school lacrosse game. As I pulled off I75 to turn left there was a gentleman with a sign asking for help. I called him over and handed him a bill. He blessed me and then looked down at the bill (it was a ten). He started crying when he saw what it was. I thanked him for blessing me by taking it. I was tearing up as I drove away. Whatever his motive, the tears were sincere. God has blessed me and I was happy to pass those blessings along.

Watch out Gracie. You're absolutely correct... but some folks don't care and will think that you're just mean. We're in the Villages because somehow we're just "privileged and lucky to be born in the baby boom generation." What nonsense. If the guy had a fuel can he apparently had a car. There have actually been gun fights over the "rights" to certain begging corners.

:agree::agree::agree::agree::agree: Well said, Redwitch!

This bubble called "The Villages" is located in the poorest section of the state. There are many people surrounding us who are truly needy.

I can not and will not judge another person. Especially one who appears to be needy. None of us know any other person's true story. "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

If someone is running a scam, shame on them. If I fail to help a person in need, shame on me.

[QUOTE=dotti105;1017879]This bubble called "The Villages" is located in the poorest section of the state. There are many people surrounding us who are truly needy.

I can not and will not judge another person. Especially one who appears to be needy. None of us know any other person's true story. "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

If someone is running a scam, shame on them. If I fail to help a person in need, shame on me.[/QUOTE}

Thank you. Dotti. That was one of my mother's favorite sayings.

I also commend the posters who saw buying the gas as an act of kindness. The main point here is that it made the OP feel good. Maybe it was an angel with a gas can put in that very spot at that exact time to give someone an opportunity to do a good deed! :wave:

You have made me want to find a corner. You are a good man DBussone .

It is always right to "do for the least of them" as it says in the good book and the stranger at your door may be Christ if you turn him away.

I hope I am not mean. I only want to tell you that this is the time of the year that the "travelers", the gypsies from Romania, would come around. This is a true story. I worked in the Catholic Religious article store in Columbus when I was in school and every year during Lent the gypsies would come and they would come to our store and shoplift rosaries and Missals. I don't know why, but it would happen.

There are still gypsies and I imagine there are all kinds. I don't understand their way of life.

There are people truly in need and there are those who would take advantage of your kindness. You are all adults and don't need my advice.

You warm my heart with your kindness but I still want to watch out for you..

Nice gesture, but I agree they were probably gypsies. At least they're out there begging instead of just collecting money from the government.

All of us living here are so fortunate to be blessed to have this quality of life. Yes, we all worked hard to get here, but I also know there could have been a couple turns in our road that would have changed our life dramatically. Am I so naive to think there aren't scammers out there, no not at all. Me for one will ALWAYS help out others when I see children involved. Could I be taken? Maybe, but I'd rather to be the one with my heart in the right place and live with my conscience. I have no control over others but always want to keep a kind compassionate heart. If I've been taken a few times in my life so be it. God knows I gave with only the best intentions.
To those who say I'd never do this or that you never know until you walk in someone's shoes.

nice post

Amen! and Ditto! During my career, I saw more than one business bankrupted by gypsies, who claim it is their "right" to beg, borrow and steal, rather than work. In the early 1990's, the city of Spokane, Washington, was sued for daring to arrest the head of a "Rom" clan who ran a huge burglary and fencing operation. At the time of his arrest, he had more than $1,000,000 in cash and a warehouse full of stolen goods. His "family" did exactly as the OP described. There are so many agencies here that help the impoverished; the "privileged" Villagers, who have worked their entire lives to finally retire in comfort, support those charities quite generously, thank you!

I am sick to the gills of hearing Villagers called "fat cats", just because most of us lived frugal, productive, honest lives before retiring here. It's the story of the grasshopper and the ant all over again, day after day.

People have the right to do whatever it takes to make themselves feel worthy. That said, a "good deed" is diminished in my eyes when it is publicized or used to make the doer feel superior by disparaging those whose beliefs don't validate their act...including those who have achieved something in life through their own hard work and industry. BTW, the "winning of life's lottery" thing doesn't cut any mustard with me.