View Full Version : ever been accused of being homeless?
So I went through my closet and cleaned out a bunch of dress clothes and a couple of jackets that I haven't worn in years. I through them in my pack, as an easy way to carry it all, and headed off to the Salvation Army. As I was walking up to the door I was apparently assessed as a homeless person coming in need of shelter, which is how I was greeted and treated the first few min. upon arrival. After a good laugh I made it to the back and deposited the items.
I've never had anyone offer money, yet.... I have been looked at and thought of as being homeless or a vagrant. I have short hair, and a very short goatee. I guess it's the backpack that provokes this kind of impression. Funny....
My buddy and I had a habit of chilling outside of grocery stores and restaurants while taking breaks from our thru hike. I lost track of the times people gave us money... it was atleast five or six. We probably made over 50 bucks just from sitting around smelling bad.
I had long hair and a beard, while my friend was rocking dreadlocks, so I guess we looked the part. Sometimes we would juggle or do magic tricks so the people got their money's worth :)
I flew out of Portland after finishing my hike, and had almost two days to kill, but not enough money to get a hotel room. As a result I wandered around town coffeed up carrying my backpack. Keep in mind I hadn't showered or done laundry in two weeks. The first night I was mistaken for being homeless by somebody at the gas station, a policeman, and some guy who yelled out of his car window that I should "get a job instead of a backpack".
The next morning I found a laundromat, and the homeless shelter, where I could take a shower. Since I had almost 24 hours until my flight left, I decided to volunteer at the homeless shelter instead of loitering at the airport. After preparing dinner I stepped out back for a smoke, and two of the people waiting to get in, tried to get in the door that I had propped open. I told them that we would open the door in about fifteen minutes, but we weren't ready for them yet. They seemed very surprised that I was volunteering at the shelter instead of waiting to get in. I must have looked pretty bad for even the homeless to think I was homeless.
This used to happen to me all the time. On the on-ramp near where the AT crosses the Pigeon River in TN, a friend and I were hitching to Asheville and instead of giving us a ride people would stop their cars and block the traffic to hand us a 5 dollar bill. When I used to travel I'd be in a store with my pack on and people would let me know where the shelter in town was. At first I would explain that I wasn't homeless in the traditional sense of the word, but eventually I just smiled and thanked them. And sometimes I would be stocking up on food and I'd get to the register and the clerk would tell me that somebody has given him a thirty or forty bucks for me to spend.
Pedaling Fool
11-03-2010, 13:44
During one of my cycling trips up the east coast I stopped in a small town in (Southport North Carolina). I slept under a pavilion near the mouth of Cape Fear. About 5 in the moring some little yak-yak dog started barking at me, it was kind of weird lying there asleep being woken up by a damn dog barking at me.
He must of caught the attention of the cops, they drove up and shined a bright-ass spotlight at me and asked if I was alright, probably thought I was passed out vice just simply sleeping; they eventually asked me if I was homeless. I said no but by there response I don't think they believed me -- I guess they never saw any one sleep on that picnic table.:D
sherrill
11-03-2010, 15:46
they eventually asked me if I was homeless. I said no but by there response I don't think they believed me -- I guess they never saw any one sleep on that picnic table.:D
Southport likes to keep their town "clean". Good thing you didn't say yes; you would have been arrested for vagrancy. :mad:
Pedaling Fool
11-03-2010, 19:42
Southport likes to keep their town "clean". Good thing you didn't say yes; you would have been arrested for vagrancy. :mad:
I can believe that; they made it clear they wanted me gone, albeit in a kind of nice way (not really nice...), but the point was made.
Funny how they heard a little dog yakking, but didn't hear a bunch of punk-ass kids partying to nearly mid-night with the music blasting and keeping me awake.
D'Artagnan
11-09-2010, 14:11
Southport likes to keep their town "clean". Good thing you didn't say yes; you would have been arrested for vagrancy. :mad:
I went there for a friend's wedding a couple years ago and I kinda got that impression too.
StorminMormon
11-09-2010, 15:05
This happened to me just the other day. I was hiking very early in the morning to test my capilene thermals to see if I had the right layers for an upcoming hike. A big van with the words "Med Mission" on the side pulled up and these guys were offering me a ride, food, money, medicine, and a flu shot.
I kept trying to convince them I was fine. I had my Garmin 450t hanging from one of my chest straps and I said "How many homeless guys do you know with a $400 GPS strapped to them". I laughed and they chuckled a little - I told them "thank you" very much for their thoughtfulness, but that I was fine.
It probably happens more to men than women. They tend to get hairy. Nobody ever did anything to indicate they thought I was homeless. Even though I camped out with the homeless at least one.
GoldenBear
11-10-2010, 11:56
My mother tells me that my father was stopped by a police officer one night, asking if he (my dad) needed a place to spend the night. What was so hysterical was that, at the time, my father was a doctor, coming back from his work at the hospital! According to the story, my father decided to upgrade his wardrobe a bit.
My wife probably thinks I inherited my father's nonchalant attitude towards clothes.
I'm not homeless, I'm houseless.
Rain Man needs to come in here and tell his "Your lawyer is a bum?" story!
CALLING RAIN MAN!
All these stories tell me something wonderful. Look at how many of these experiences involve somebody stopping to help, somebody giving money to a stranger, somebody just plain caring.
That's the lesson here. We are a generous people.
As someone who likes birds, I will sometimes get asked "Do you need any help?" by people who see me walking along roads next to my car. I've also been eyed suspiciously for lurking in the woods. Once I explained what I was doing he was cool though. But we do occasionally hear of birders who have people try to run them off the road, etc...
All these stories tell me something wonderful. Look at how many of these experiences involve somebody stopping to help, somebody giving money to a stranger, somebody just plain caring.
That's the lesson here. We are a generous people.
Llama Legs
01-13-2011, 14:19
just by my wife...