Ever paid for wierd conversation?

[HEyHEY]

My buddy used to say he hated giving bums money for no reason. He'd say "Sit down tell me your story"
I always thought that to be rude....there is nothing more degrading than to ask a person his hard luck tale for money so you can feel compassionate for a couple minutes.

But my pal is a good guy

[expatriot]

1. no, that is kind of cool... i think most people like to tell their story..

i would say most transients wouldn't mind talking to someone. Now, if the guy was obviously uncomfortable with talking I'd obviously not force him to do it for money, i'd give the money to him.

[2Design]

2. sounds like it depends on your motives

a motive of degradation = not

a motive of giving someone a chance to talk to someone who might at least listen = good
sometimes telling someone your story helps both of you to get to a better place = good

I have heard of someone who bought homeless people alcohol and let them get drunk and then made fun of them and filmed them for a project at school .....now that motive is wrong in my opinion

Churches and their followers go out to help people in times of disasters, like hurricanes, but they are also their to preach. The church groups over in Iraq are there to help but converts too. That type of ulteria motive feels wrong to me.

The one your friend does - doesn't seem ulterior - seems to be an exchange of energy - he gets a better understanding of how life can turn for a person

[HEyHEY]

3. I must admit, I gave a homeless guy a bottle of wiser's deluxe once

It was full, I couldn't get into the bar with it.... he really seemed to like me and went skipping off down the street.

[2Design]

7. coming out of a grocery store ..there was a woman ....as I walked

to my car...she stayed in my mind and heart.....although cash is tight for me right now... I kept getting the message to go give her $5...so I got back out of the car and walked back to her and gave her the $5

as I walked away...a young teen walked up to her and I realized it was her daughter... you could tell her daughter was mortified that her mother was begging....

I got the feeling it was a sudden thing - and that somehow the Universe would take care of her...

I wish I was brave enough like your friend to ask their story....

But I have seen some nuts and very needy people on the street and I am not equipped to handle them.....

I do think it is a shame that I live in the richest country in the world and that there are so many homeless and jails....

other countries seem to have a much smaller problem and their cities are safer....

[stevedeshazer]

4. Well, I donate here a bit

So, like, yeah.

[HEyHEY]

5. hee hee

[jpgray]

6. KNEW that was just around the corner

:D

[Swamp Rat]

8. I went to a movie theater to see "My Dinner with Andre."

The conversation was sorta weird, but I liked it.

[NJCher]

9. listening

I think the way your friend posed the question (open ended) gives the person a lot of latitude in how to answer. It sounds like he is a listener and that is something that is hard to find. Maybe these people enjoyed being able to talk about themselves. Most people don't care enough to ask.

But to answer your question, I never paid for a weird story but I used to do market research interviewing. I would often get off on a tangent with some total stranger. The stories I like best are the ones where the person faces tough odds and comes out on top. I really admire those kinds of people. I think they and I were the better for having some of these discussions.


Cher