narky

Background: I just cleaned the car yesterday, in and out. After 2 hours and then some, it looked so shiny and nice that it made me wanna cry...

So I was on my way home from work today, and I dropped by the gas station to pick up some stuff. As I was paying for my drink inside, I saw a guy with a squeegee approaching my car. Immediately, alarm bells began ringing all over the place, and I was calculating how it would take me only about 1.68 seconds to reach the ******* if he decided to touch my car at all. How much surface on the car could he come into contact with in those 2 seconds????????? You know those guys that run at your car, "clean" your baby, and then demand payment for ruining your car? I wanna . them.

But then he stopped, looked at the car once over, and then walked towards me (still paying).

He asked, "That you car?"

"Yeah." (full of suspicion and aggression)

"I was gonna clean it for you, but it looks immaculate. Looks beautiful, man, you got the wheel wells and everything!"

I couldn't believe that 1. the homeless guy had just said "immaculate", and 2. he noticed the wheel wells!!!!! But I said in response, "O! Yeah... Hehe, I just cleaned it yesterday." (sheepishly smiling)

I was so proud that I even forgot to punch him for coming within 3 feet of my car.

itcrashed

what station was that? one of the shell stations out here in dublin always has some jackass trying to clean your car or sell you something...i dont go there anymore.

maybe you can press your panic button within 1.68 seconds lol that should scare the **** out of him...

narky

That's a freakin awesome idea... where's my notepad?

trial0r

+1

JohnGjolaj1

hahah great story

tanktube67

ColoradoDriver

I would have given him a couple dollars--since he did not ask for any.

e1000

webada

luv your story,

norcal5

You really spent those 2 hours well (other thread on your cleaning your car)

misterng

AsianML

If you're subscribed to TeleAid and the alarm goes off for longer than 20 seconds (???) the cops are notified.

Savage c-300

haha loved the story, i never thought of the panic button idea. great tip!

Derspeed

I'm sorry, but this story just bothers me for some reason.

narky

I'm not sure why. Care to explain?

In any case, I must've bothered somebody else too, because I've been shown once again that vanity and hubris shall be struck down. This morning when I left for work, I carpooled, so I didn't need to drive. But I needed something from the car, so I walked about half a block to where I had parked it last night (right after the homeless gentleman). I parked it next to a government office building, because the fences of its premises and their surrounding area are super well lit with blinding white lights. The bright lighting not only deters would-be thieves (I think?), but also makes the car look quite dramatic at night. Like a car show... It's pretty much my favorite.

I was admiring the car as I approached it today, but when I reached the passenger side... the sprinklers had gone off in the night. Can I say, dirty water, grass bits and pieces, dirt, crud, crap, poop, doodoo and all that bs? W. T. F?

I had to go to work, so I couldn't clean it then like I wanted to. And I knew I wouldn't get back until around 10 pm, when it'd be too late to wash the car. The pain!

When I got back, I went to check how the car's doing. And the water has hardened into dark gray spots! OMGALSKDJFLAKJf;alskdjf;alksdjf;lkasjdf;!!! Lacking any sort of cleaning supplies, I briefly considered lickin off the spots myself. But I didn't do it. I should have, though, while I had the courage.

Life is cruel.

narky

I couldn't stand the thought, so I took two microfiber cloths, one wet and one dry, and cleaned the car. It was dark, cold, and windy, but worth the effort.

But now I wonder if I scratched anything because I couldn't see properly. And the parts that I just wiped are going to mismatch with the rest of the car.

Life is still cruel.

Derspeed

It's nothing against you, so please don't be offended.

We all come here to talk about our cars. We complain about the options we can't have, and how the dash looks cheap. We are bothered by door pins that stick up too much or amber reflectors on the side of the car. We have difficult decisions to make...get MB-Tex or leather, or the 18" wheels or the 19" wheels.

The panhandler who approached your car has difficult decisions to make as well. Starve, or humiliate himself to make a few bucks to get through another day. Maybe he would have used the money on booze, drugs or cigarettes. Who knows? While I don't condone their use in those circumstances, those things would have helped ease him through the day nonetheless.

Your story is humbling and it reminds me that most of my "problems" are petty when compared to a guy's who needs to clean car windows on a street corner for a few dollars. I guess that's why it bothers me.

norcal5

Good point! It is healthy to step back every so often to get a different perspective & recalibrate.

webada

word.

waydown

Very nicely stated. So easy for us to forget how lucky we really are.

narky

Derspeed, I appreciate your thoughts, and I understand what you mean. So I take no offense in the slightest.

Here's what I think:

I live in a generally progressive area, attended a rather progressive (slight understatement?) university, and studied a pretty progressive ("hippie") discipline there. So I've given a bit of thought to the homeless situation and had plenty of opportunity to observe it. It helped that the city of Berkeley, where my school is located, is homeless capital of the world.

I've been taught from young by everyone around me to help those who need my help. And coming from a comfortable background, I found the abject poverty manifested on the streets quite jarring. I felt it my duty to help. So, in my freshman year, I began giving money to the homeless on the streets. Not quarters and change, but dollars and sometimes even a five note here and there if I didn't have a dollar bill. I hoped that they would buy food with the money, and often told them so. However, I stopped after I saw (when I turned around by chance) that the man had walked directly into the corner store to buy beer. I saw the stereotype turn true in front of me.

Then I switched to buying them food instead of giving them money. On my way home from school, I'd drop by the eateries in front of the campus, buy a meal and hand it to the guy who looked the hungriest. It cost 5~6 dollars, a little more than what I'd liked, so I decreased the frequency of my "philanthropy." That held me for a while, until one day, once again, I turned around to see the homeless man dump on the ground the food I had given him. He didn't like it, apparently, even though it was fresh and it was free. A nearby homeless dog came to lap it up.

Even afterwards, I gave money (just change) to the homeless, however rarely, but now I feel like it's all pointless and in general not very helpful to give a dollar here and there as an individual. Perhaps more institutional methods of aid would work better? I search for ways.

In any case, I reserve compassion for the homeless, but in the end, it's not my fault that they are in such a situation. It may not be their fault either. Whoever is at fault, I'm willing to help as long as they don't touch my car. Wanting to help others and wanting to keep my shiz clean are two entirely separate goals, it seems.

Derspeed

Narky: I agree entirely. I too have observed the ungrateful charity case. You definitely take a chance when you try to help someone; and you can't help everyone. We have all worked hard to obtain the things we have and have made the right choices. It was not my intention to give you a lesson in charity. Seems you have learned quite a bit by your location. I just wanted to let you and others know that your story stopped me in my tracks (mentally). I thought, my day, as demanding as it was, wasn't so bad afterall.

Your story reminded me of a day last summer when I was on my way to buy new wheels for my Volvo. It was hot, I was in a hurry, and traffic was way too heavy. I was very irritated. Then I saw a guy standing on the corner of a busy intersection, in the heat, wearing jeans, a heavy shirt, and what appeared to be every article of clothing he owned. He held a sign that said "I am lost and hungry. I'd rather beg than steal. Please help." Seeing that man made me feel like an ***. I had no clue why he was lost and hungry, and at that moment I didn't care. He sent me a profound wake up call that I needed. He made my day better by allowing me to see how unwarranted my irritation with the heat, traffic and time was.

I pulled into a parking lot, walked up to him, and gave him some money and a bottle of water. I thought of buying him lunch, as there are tons of restaurants in that area. Then I thought, nah, I'm giving him money. It's his to spend as he pleases. I didn't want to teach him to fish. I am sure he already knew how. My thought was, this may help him through today. What he does tomorrow is in his hands.

AsianML

I definitely agree with your post, but nobody is forcing him to panhandle on the streets or go and wash windows and then try to get people to pay for it. There are still plenty of jobs around to be had (although perhaps not to most of our standards).

jstaneff

An idea: If you don't want to give handouts because you don't know that they will be used appropriately, then you could:
- work as a volunteer at a soup kitchen or shelter. Then you'll know your time/money is properly directed.
- work as a volunteer at a food bank. This may be somewhat less satisfying as you'll discover the ways people steal food, but at least they're eating.

I've also become aware that in the Seattle area, some homeless shelters actually station people on street corners to beg. They are sleeping in the shelter and eating well, often have child-care as well. Their signs imply they're lost, and they are, but they're PLACED rather than totally on their own.

Just a thought or two.

Aggressive

Thats a good story too!!