His name is Bob!

You are so right. I may not live in the best house or drive the best car but at least I have a home and a car.

ladybug

Every time my kids complained I told them there are always people who have it harder...great story Frog...thanks for sharing...:)

frog, thank you for posting that. I opens your eyes when you realize what you have. Sometimes you feel down or feel sorry for yourself or jealous over what others have. Then someone like you comes along and tells a story like that. It really hits home and you realize just what you really have. And, as for Bob, God bless him.

Thanks frogger for the post....... :D

Thanks for the wakeup call, Frog. :))

Just an update! Bob apparently received a small inheritance of around 6000.00. Left his bike behind the 7-11 and headed back north from where he came. That money can get him some new dentures, an apartment, clothes and some money to find a job. Or it can get him a good time until he is back on the corner with his sign. I guess I will never know! True Story!

I posted an update without being looged in. If it doesn't appear I will post it again.

frog, are you being serious?

I always think of this when I start to feel sad and depressed like I have nothing:

"I am living someone elses dream" No matter how bad I see it or think it is "My life is someone elses dream"

Luke, profound, my man. Sometimes I sit and think the whole world is just "someone's dream". We are just a small part in some person's mind. Kind of weird. But, you never know. I just wish this person's "dream" would have some good things come along soon! :D But, look at "Bob". At least we are not standing on that corner with our sign. We are home, on our computers, at our jobs, with our family. We are lucky. And don't let anyone take that away from you.

amen cannr, amen

I have to remember that Sky! That is great! By the way Bob did not leave yet. He traveled across the state by bus to visit his brother and his fathers grave. He told my friend at the 7-11 he will be here a couple days before traveling up north. I have faith that he will straighten himself out and beat the odds that are so much against him. We are all one stroke of bad luck away from being Bob. I know because it almost happened to me years ago. I had a business and lost it, could not collect unemployment and my landlord sold the building and I had to move. I did not have the month and a half secuity. If not for the benevolence of a new found freind I would have been Bob. No I was not too lazy or a wino or a drug addict. Just unlucky in one way but very lucky in another! Many people who read these forums or write on them are only one car breakdown from the streets.

frog, you're depressing me now! :(

"Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be alright!" Bob Marley

Yes, but there is another side to this story! I am a substance abuse counselor and worked with Dept. of Corrections. I had a client that had to get a regular job with a paycheck stub. We talked about this and I asked what he was doing for money now. He told me he stood along the roadway, and been doing this for over 5 years, and made $100-$300 a day, depending on where he stood!! He refused to get a regular job and make minimum wage! Our local news station did a story on some of them, offered jobs etc., and were turned down!

I Know people have hard times, we did- lost our home, cars, everything- and I believe in helping others, but there is always "the rest of the story"!!..KAren

This dude made $100/$300 a day?!?!?! Uh, I do believe if I could do that and make that much money per day, I wouldn't be sitting here at my job right now! :shock:

I knwo, I tried to get my husband to do it :lol: On the news deal, they followed this one guy and he got in hi "new" car!! Gotta go- think I'll go on the corner for a while :lol: Karen

Bob makes anywhere from 4.00 to 30.00 a day in the summer when the snowbirds are not here. There are so many corner people they actually have preset tee times on the good corners where the lights stay red for a long time and there are bushes to blend in with. If they are caught with a sign they are subject to an 80.00 fine. Yes many of them have substance abuse problems and/or mental health issues. Some are just lazy and others will steal you blind if you give them the opportunity. Many have outstanding warrants. The local citizens for the most part don't give to them. When the tourists arrive they fair a lot better and some of them do make a good amount and have no overhead. No they are not all like my friend Bob. For sure!

I know what I am gonna do. I am going down to Sand Key with a sign that says "Need waterfront property. Please help"

Karen...my sister is a drug abuse counselor in Chicago and I have heard stories from her that have kept me awake at night!! Every other year or so I volunteer to feed the homeless at Thanksgiving..I have sat with some of these poeple and heard their stories,...it's so sad most of the time...but it always makes me feel I am giving something back for all my good fortune...

Some of you may have seen the tent city story on the news that was from here. The police in St. Pete Fla. came and slashed all their tents when they didn't vacate the area. Can you imagine!

I live in NYC and a few years back the tv show Sixty Minutes did a story about this panhandler who worked in Penn Station. A very large commuter railroad station here in the city. Well, this particular guy made 100,000 his first year. The best part was, he was not homeless or anything like that, He was actually a stock broker who got fed up with Wall Street, and decided to try his hand at begging.

Well, I'm bored with my job. So, maybe I should try the "corner thing". Oh. I mean with holding a sign, not the OTHER "corner thing"! LOL! Hey, kash, I really like your signature line. It's really cool. Now.......if only you had an avatar.........

I remember that story about the Penn Station guy!

Cannr, still working on the avatar. I will message Mike tomorrow, to be sure he got it.
I am all for the street corner gig. This office is making me ill.Lets find a good corner and rake in the dough.Anything is better than this. I an so tired of working and making other people rich. I want to be able to work and make me rich.
Glad you like the signature

kash, just remember... when your job is getting you down..... LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH and be happy! :D

Frog, I am glad that some one else saw that story. Amazing isn't it?
I wonder if he gives lessons.

Cannr
I am living , loving and being happy.
I wasn't before I met you all, but now I am. What a great place, what great people, what wonderful new friends

They people that hang out at the entrance ramps to freeways here can make about $100 in about 4 hours . . . . It's sick! But I could never bring myself to stand on a corner with a sign begging for change . . . . Even if I would make more money then I do now. I'm sure that would change if I had kids to support, but I don't . . .

I agree Goudah...don't think I could handle it...although if I were in a bad bad situation and had babies to feed...I suppose I would do what I had to.

Kash...I have huge letters on my dining room wall that say Live, Love, Laugh...one of my favorite sayings...

Morning, I also love that saying. Through it all i do try to use that saying in all aspects of my life. I believe if you dont have laughter, you dont have much

My mom has that saying in huge letters on her wall too!

Hey Goudah and morning, looks like i chose a good signature.

One day last year, around Christmas, my son and I were driving and saw this woman begging at a corner- with her daughter! I was so mad that she had her out there. I realize she may have been legit and needed help- but this particuliar town has an over abundance of help and helping agencies, shelters, and help with mothers with children.

I turned around and tried to get back to her, but because we were on a ramp, it took awhile and she was gone when I got there..KAren

Well...Karen..at least you tried. I was shopping in a store one time a couple of years ago...and I saw this rather large woman dragging her crying 2 year old through the store...now it's like 10 at night and she has him by the arm dragging him around while she looks at crap...then I hear her yelling at him to stop crying and she is lifting him and shaking him from the arm! I complained to the store management and they called the police...who actually came...detained her and took a statement from me...the manager told me later he saw them put her in the squad car!! I have often wondered if that child got the help he needed??...

I think so, at least he knows that mommy cant do whatever the hell she wants.