Bad times are here: Two beggars in as many days.

I haven't been approached for money in all the time I've lived here, and in two days, two different people have approached in exactly the same way. They came straight at me in the parking lot as I was walking towards my car. One asked for bus fare, the other asked for money for milk for her child. This happened in broad daylight. The first guy did scare me. He looked like he wasn't going to stop and I had to tell him to keep his distance and I'd help him out.

Anyway, is this happening to other people too? They approached so quickly it is alarming. If they're indeed in need, I'm glad I helped, but something tells me that these things don't always end quite so well.

I'm in New York, so generally I see at least a couple every day, many days that many between the subway and my apartment (3 blocks).

You generally only see that kind of thing near the bus station in downtown Orlando

I do give money to people from time to time. A bunch of us supported a neighborhood guy for years until his death a couple of years ago.

There are professional beggars who do very well, and some people are honestly desperate. It's hard to know which is which.

In general, the more involved the story they try to give me, the less likely I am to help out.

Big city self-defensive attitude.

There's someone holding a sign on nearly every corner, and it's an unusual day when you can walk through town without being asked for money.

The last time I found myself so discouraged and tearful over the number of needy people on the street was during the reign of Asshat's Poppy ... Under Clinton, I saw this diminish considerably but now the dark days are back, sadly.

It is getting that bad again. The transients are back, but the people who approached me looked ordinary.

she told me that her car had run out of gas. I saw her run across the street to the apartment complex right after.. probably to her crack dealer. The gas station was on the other corner.

I wonder if they ran out of gas?