[deutschmann59]

You guys won't believe this but I'll tell it to you anyway.

I just got home 15 minutes ago from the gym. I always work out on Sunday afternoon, but today as I was leaving, a woman approached me, nearly in tears begging me for some infant milk. She didn't want money...just me to buy her the milk. But here's the deal...I don't ever carry ANY money with me when I head out to the gym. I don't even carry a wallet. It just so happened that today I actually had three one-dollar bills, but baby formula is like $8-9.00. So I wasn't lying when I told here I didn't have any money with me (though I'm driving this brand new BMW).

But I was going to help, even if it meant running all the way home to get some money, then back out again. So I go to a gas station down the street. They had it, but it cost $9.00, and they didn't accept credit cards (I happened to have credit cards with me today).

So my bank was a little further down the street, so I figured I'd just go to the ATM. But my bank just changed and got bought out by another bank, so my PIN was reset, and I never wrote it down or remembered it because I hardly ever use the ATM, so again I was basically locked out. That was it...I had to go home; there was no way around it.

But another convenient store was right around the block, so I though maybe, just maybe they'd have the baby formula for under $3.00. Nope, $6.00, and they didn't accept credit cards.

On my way out, I saw they too had an ATM, so I thought maybe I could just take $20.00 out with my discover card...but as I approach it, I look down at the cash tray and I honestly couldn't believe what I saw...for a minute there, I thought it was a picture of money directing users to the location of where the money comes out, but it wasn't! It was a real $20.00 bill!!!!!

The store was empty aside from me, so no one else was around so I took it...finder's keeper's, right? I bought the infant milk and brought it back to where I told the lady I'd meet her near the gym.

[ksfrogman]

Originally Posted by sharp1183

You guys won't believe this but ... a woman approached me, nearly in tears begging me for some infant milk.

Maybe she should consider breast feeding. What's she going to do the rest of the time?

[deutschmann59]

Yeah, that's a good question, but not my problem. I did my good deed. But I only did it because she needed "milk". I never give money to people on the streets.

[Jimifighter]

About a year ago I had a guy that works for me come into the office with his picture in the paper and a caption of "Do you know this man?". He had walked up to an ATM and there was $300 in the tray that some old woman forgot, she went to the bank and they looked at the camera and found him.

Probably won't happen for $20 though. Good for you making the effort to help someone in need, maybe this was just a reward from a higher power.

[LEDZEP]

That was nice of you. Some of the details are troubling though...

1. So, what is the baby going to eat tomorrow??
2. All these stores that don't take credit cards?? Do they have any clue what year this is???

[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

1. So, what is the baby going to eat tomorrow??
2. All these stores that don't take credit cards?? Do they have any clue what year this is???

1. No idea...this is a true story, though! I guess I should have asked her that, but I wasn't thinking at the time. If she was lying, what else would she do with it? I don't think a pawn shop would take it, and you can't very well mix it with vodka, right?
2. That's true. Both stores didn't take credit cards...I asked. The best I could do was use the ATM and get a cash advance.

[Petercat]

Around here people use baby formula to cut their cocaine when they cook up crack.





No, I'm just kidding, I know nothing about how crack is made. I don't think there is any baby formula in it.

What did you do with the remainder of the money? Did you get her more formula or keep the cash?

My wife and I seem to find money often, usually 20's at the cash machine or on the floor at the Target store or something... We can't keep it though, a little too wierd. If we ever find money, we give it away to Salvation Army bell ringers, shelters or homeless people on the street. There always seems to be someone else who needs the luck more than us.

Be sure you give away the rest of the money... It's good for the Karma.

[CnoteMD]

I am almost positive that this is a common scam that homeless people use to get money. Almost every other day, I get homeless people asking for me to buy them a can of milk. They never tell you how much this milk costs up front. They will wait until you get into the corner store and you then find out it costs around $10 or so.

You figure, they can spend the next couple of hours accumulating pennies and nickles, or get that one person willing to buy a $10 can of milk. After you leave, they just return it for the money.

Who knows, maybe this person really did use the milk. But, I hardly ever come across anyone looking for anything other than a few dollars to feed thier habit.

[deutschmann59]

Originally Posted by Petercat

Around here people use baby formula to cut their cocaine when they cook up crack.

WHY, YOU...!!!

Ha ha ha! Don't tell me that! For a second there I thought you were serious...I was sweating bullets! That neighborhood isn't exactly the greatest. There was a drive-by murder on that same block a month ago in broad daylight so nothing would surprise me.

Oh, and yeah, I'm not going to keep the remaining $14.00. Being it's the holidays, it's a great time to give it to the Salvation Army.

Originally Posted by CnoteMD

I am almost positive that this is a common scam that homeless people use to get money. Almost every other day, I get homeless people asking for me to buy them a can of milk. They never tell you how much this milk costs up front. They will wait until you get into the corner store and you then find out it costs around $10 or so.

You figure, they can spend the next couple of hours accumulating pennies and nickles, or get that one person willing to buy a $10 can of milk. After you leave, they just return it for the money.

Who knows, maybe this person really did use the milk. But, I hardly ever come across anyone looking for anything other than a few dollars to feed thier habit.

You know, this is probably the most logical scenerio, and on the way home, this idea did cross my mind. You have to admit, it is pretty original...and the part where she needs to feed her baby is especially touching--that's what got me and that's why I did it. But in all probability, she returned it to the store.

I'm a very cynical person by nature, and I'm always wary about peoples' motives, but it kind of threw me off that she didn't ask for money. But you're right. Next time, I'll definitely say no, now that I know this is a common scam.

But, I still am a pretty naive person, and I want to believe it went to a baby. And the way I just found $20 laying around kind of made me feel like good things happen when you do good things for people.

[Enroutte]

Dude, good things happen to good people.

Because you were so willing to help, you magically found the $20 bill. Seriously. ;D thats awesome.

I once found $20 bill in teh ball pit @ chuck e cheese! SCORE. 100 tockens woo!

[davinet78]

nice gesture you had of going through all that trouble to help someone in need
well done

[Petercat]

Funny wasn't it.

Seriously though, you did a good thing. You kind gesture would never be overshadowed by whatever she will do with the formula.

Besides, if some homeless person needs to sell the baby formula to get some booze, who are we to say "no". I say the homeless (or even poor) need a little something to take the edge off.

Sharp1183 gets 10 Karma points.

[longtran]

you deserve an award. o yea, you got $20 bill.

[UncleWede]

The magic in that $20 seems to have gotten lost, let's help you find it again. REGARDLESS of what the person did, you helped someone who was in need. NEVER EVER close your heart to those in need, even if you get scammed once in a while.
Even if there is no heaven or hell (although I still beleive) you felt GOOD, right? That's the gift of the $20. Let it go at that. Merry Christmas!!!!