Crazy beggar

[NovaKart]

So I'm walking home from the supermarket here in downtown Baku and this guy comes up to me and says, "Hi, how are you?" in English and I'm thinking, do I know this guy? Something must have given me away as a foreigner. I realized after a minute that he was very drunk. So I talk to him for a minute while I'm walking and then I realize he barely knows any English. He asked what my name was but I just ignored him. I get to my apartment building and say I have to go but he follows me. I went into my apartment building, the door is always left open and I'm not sure how to close it. I go up the stairs and then I think, I don't want this guy to know where I live (at least not which apartment), so I stand on the stairs for a minute.

Then he asks me for money. I told him I don't have any but he said, "no, you have." I tried to get past him into a public place but he blocked my way. He's not a big guy but I'm carrying bags and I don't want a physical confrontation.

Finally I walked up the stairs and went past my door and out back where there's a large rooftop and a back exit. I went quickly not exactly running but fast and he came after me but him being drunk and all I was faster. I stayed on the exit stairs for a couple minute and went back and he was no longer there.

So, end of story, not the most exciting I know. Not sure why I decided to share it.

 

[Mango Elephant]

LOL we should have a thread for stories like this.

 

[Bill3000]

Why on earth are you in Azerbaijan?

 

[Onionsoilder]

I think the most amusing beggar I have ever seen was just a regular looking beggar with a sign that said "Running for President, Need Campaign Funds."

 

[Itzatrap XIII]

You know, from that story I get the feeling that the guy isn't really begging for money.

I once lived somewhere where things weren't quite what you call safe. The locals told me that if you know a guy/gal/kid/old-folk is following you, its best you loose them somewhere not even near where you stay.

Thing is, they say, these guys are scouting out for places for some other bunch of guys to rob.

Now, I'm not trying to make anybody go paranoid or something, its just one of those things you pick up.

The oddest thing is, a house near where I was staying got robbed, and the other oddest thing is that folks said that they saw a guy pacing around the lot looking like a half-drunk-out-of-luck beggar.

But when he was trying to take a good look at the lot, he didn't look drunk, he was walking about straight, and when he thought folks were looking at him, he went back looking like a drunk!

These guys usually try to find out the people's daily routine, how many people are living there, what is the security, etc.

You know that sort of stuff.

I'm just sharing, not scaring.

 

[Bugfatty300]

Yeah those guys can be dangerous.

There was one drunk who lived across the street who always asked me for money when he saw me. I thought he was harmless until one day he followed me right up to my house and as I was shutting the door he stuck his foot inside as if he was going to push his way in but he just stood there staring at me. I told him to remove his foot or he was going have very bad day and thankfully he took the advice and he never bothered me again.

After that I kept a metal pipe next the door just in case.

 

[sophie]

Dude, that guy is definitely a genie, or it could possibly be some kind of prince living among the people. You should be really nice to the guy and possibly give him money. That way he'll grant you some boon later in life.

 

[Xanikk999]

This is why i just try to avoid beggars when I'm traveling. Some can be nice people but i dont want to take a chance.

We don't have them around here where i live luckily. I am living in an affluent neighborhood.

 

[Quackers]

I had a similiar experiance recently. I was walking home and out of nowhere this clearly inebritated man stopped me on the pavement, and got really close to me. He asked me for 55p. He said he left his wallet on the "bar" at work. I said "do you work at a pub?". He grins and says "you got me".

I got my wallet out and gave him his reward. After asking myself "What would Jesus do?" (LOL). Afterwards I knew he was just going to spend it on booze, but as a fellow alcoholic - fair enough. I thought of Merkinball's words and promised myself NEVER, NEVER to give money to anybody ever again.

Why on earth are you in Azerbaijan?

Indeed!

 

[Xanikk999]

I almost never ever lend money, even to people i know. Past experience shows me people either wont pay you back, or wont do you any favors later when you really need it.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I read that some people guy a bunch of gift certificates for fast food or something to give to beggars instead of cash. Thats what I would do if I had money ... Then again Ive never seen a beggar before.

 

[Bamspeedy]

I think the most amusing beggar I have ever seen was just a regular looking beggar with a sign that said "Running for President, Need Campaign Funds."

I heard of one in my area that had a sign that said "Why lie? I need a beer!".
That is one I might have actually given money to had I seen it.

Then again Ive never seen a beggar before.

Most, if not all the beggars I've seen in my area are just scammers. These guys usually take a cab from their home/apartment to these begging spots (intersections of highways). They will stand on a corner without a coat in winter-yet their coat is lying across the street, so it was just an act to make them look more destitute.

Haven't seen too many beggars other than in China (old women at bus stops), Mexico (at a touristy border town there was a beggar that was missing some legs and/or arms-I don't remember since I was a kid at the time and it was 20+ years ago). And then in Austin, TX a couple years ago I saw two when we were in the tourist area of downtown Austin.

One guy zoomed in on my brother the minute he walked out of a store alone. Since my brother has some learning problems I went out there to make sure he wasn't talked into giving him some money and the guy immediately backed off and apologizing when I told him my brother doesn't have any money.
Then a short time later a young woman in a wheelchair comes up and asks in the most polite voice if I had any money. I said sorry, that no I didn't. She nicely said ok and then went around the corner. 5 minutes later she comes back, her clothes look a bit messed up and she is spasming/arms jerking around.

 

[Traitorfish]

Most, if not all the beggars I've seen in my area are just scammers.

Onalaska, Wisconsin: Pop.16,778

I suspect that these are not coincidental.

 

[Bamspeedy]

I suspect that these are not coincidental.

Onalaska is indeed a 'suburbia' kind of town. 'In my area' I consider to also include the city of La Crosse (population 50,000+) right next door (Onalaska is basically a suburb of La Crosse since they literally border each other) is generally worse and has more 'ghetto' areas, but of course nothing like the big metropolitan areas like Chicago, Milwaukee, etc. The salvation army in La Crosse houses 60-80 people a night and feeds over 100 people a day, but there is only like 1-3 people that actually go out begging.

 

[Lord Baal]

There's plenty of drunken/ stoned bogans around here who beg for money. I politely tell them to go to hell if they persist in their bullcrap stories about how they need money to call their wife in the hospital. It'd be more believable if they all didn't have such shockingly similar stories.

 

[NovaKart]

This guy smelled like alcohol so I think he really had been drinking. I haven't seen him since then. I think he was trying to corner me somewhere so I would give him money to leave me alone. The same thing happened to me once in China when a guy followed me for a bit and wouldn't get out of the taxi I was in. I live in the centre of the city so there's always lots of people around, some begging but usually just old ladies.

I work in Azerbaijan, that's why I'm here.