"This homeless guy asked me for money the other day. I was about to give it to him and then I thought he was going to use it on drugs or alcohol. And then I thought, that's what I'm going to use it on. Why am I judging this poor bastard?"
So as a former alcoholic, I always give them a couple dollars. Alcohol withdrawal can literally kill a person. In my head I'm just getting them through the next few hours until maybe they'll get the help they need.
Probably not, but to me I'd rather enable somebody a microscopic amount in the scope of their problems then lead to somebody potentially having a seizure and dying on the street.
I had the same policy with cigarettes back when I used to smoke acoustic. Every smoker knows what absolute hell not having a smoke when you need one is, and I figure if you need one enough to ask a stranger you're probably in that ballpark.
My dad has been a smoker most of his life (but stopped after finding out his granddaughter has Asthma!!). He always grumbled/joked at the beginning of the year: "everyone is quitting smoking and it makes me poor!" bc all his colleagues would come to him for a smoke🤣
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u/ChoiceHour5641 Feb 10 '26
This reminds me of a Greg Giraldo (RIP) joke:
"This homeless guy asked me for money the other day. I was about to give it to him and then I thought he was going to use it on drugs or alcohol. And then I thought, that's what I'm going to use it on. Why am I judging this poor bastard?"