Monday, October 4, 2010

What would you do?

So there I was last week at Walgreens with Lainey minding my own beeswax when an old(er) woman hobbled up to us.  She looked very similar to this:

oldwomancart

Seriously.  That image could actually be of her.  So, she comes up to us, looks around all secretively (like she’s about to make a drug deal) and whispers, “Honey, do you think you could do me a favor?”  I have absolutely no idea what this woman wants, so I just said “Um, maybe.”  Then she gets closer to me (with her Polident breath) and says “Could you just give me $20?  I need to get my pain meds and I just need $20.” 

At this point I’m just staring at her (possibly with my mouth wide open) because I really don’t know what to say.  Part of me is thinking that John Quinones is watching from around the corner with his “What Would You Do?” video crew and at any moment they’re going to jump out and interrogate me.  Speaking of which, have you ever seen that show?  What’s up with that John Quinones anyway?  He has that Spanish tilde over the “n” in his last name, but his eyes look totally Asian!  Am I right, or am I right?

I digress.  I must not have said anything to the woman because then she starts in with “If you don’t have $20, I’ll take whatever you have.  Really, I’ll take whatever you have!”  What does that even mean?  What if I have a $50?  Does she want the whole $50?  I doubt she’d make change.

I didn’t have to think about it very long because I don’t carry cash.  So, I apologized saying I didn’t have any cash and we went on our merry way.  Well, within minutes I felt bad.  Why?  Mostly because I knew my Dad would have had the money and he would have given it to her.  My Dad is a total Bucket Filler! 

I considered taking her to the pharmacy and paying for her meds with my debit card, so Lainey and walked around the store keeping our eyes out for her.  But, she was nowhere to be found. 

On one hand, I felt bad about it, but on the other hand I didn’t because she was asking for money for pain meds.  Had she said she needed money for heart or blood pressure meds I would have felt terrible.  What can I say?  I guess Granny needs to get a more desperate story!

So…

what_would_you_do

(See, I’m telling you his eyes are Asian!)

36 comments:

Jenny @ Practically Perfect... said...

Hmmm. I'm like you - I wouldn't have given her the money, but that's because I'm slightly jaded. I could understand saying something along the lines of, "I would be happy to pay for your medications at the pharmacy register", but not just handing over the cash. Or let her know that there are prescription assistance programs, and suggesting that she speak with the pharmacist or her doctor about signing up with one of these. That's so odd!

Christina said...

That is a hard one! I would have stood there with my mouth wide open! I guess I would have offered to walk her up to the pharmacy and paid for her pain meds - not just given her the $20. I hate to be cynical but I would have not felt comfortable just giving her the cash... Am I terrible?

Amanda M. said...

Dude. You're totally right about John Quinonez.
But I digress.
Okay, wanna know how much of a Bucket Filler my dad is? Once we were eating lunch at a restaurant in a semi-shady area of Milwaukee and a TOTAL panhandler came in and needed $10 for a gas can with gas becuase "his car just ran out of gas." After my mom blew the panhandler off, my dad actually WENT OUTSIDE AND CHASED THE MAN DOWN to give him the money. Seriously. No lie.
Now, in your situation, I would have directed this woman to your church or if you have like a local Catholic Charities, or Dept. of Aging or something. I mean, if she doesn't have the 20 bones for her script today, chances are she's not having it next month, either, so she probably needs some long-term assistance, right? I'd not have felt comfortable giving her outright cash, though. :(

Hillary said...

What do I think? I think he's totally Asian!

And I would have tried to help her out by talking to a pharmacist about available programs. Money for pain meds automatically make you sketchy in my book, I don't care how old or sweet you look.

Nikosmommy said...

That sort of thing has happened to me several times at Walmart. I guess I just go with my gut and make a decision on the spot. Usually I say no because the people asking seem so sketchy!?
John Quinones is probably actually named John Quin. Totally of Asian decent...who is he trying to kid!?!

Jen said...

I'm with you and I think my mouth would have just hit the floor. I too never carry cash. I guess I might have considered going to the pharmacy counter and paying for her, but I highly doubt I would have just given her the money.

I have never seen that shower, but I agree I think that dude looks more Asian.

Ange said...

I am a softie, I would have totally given her the $20, but would have probably added "I don't want to catch you reselling them on the streets."

I tend to say stupid stuff when I don't know what to say.

And he does look so Asian.

JoAnna said...

The audacity. I never have cash, so that's a no brainer. Never thought about the idea of paying for her and with her. I like that idea. Then you'll know if she's full of baloney. And where on earth did she disappear to? If she was that decrepit, could she really have vanished that fast? Vedddy EEeenterestink.

I've given up on reading what people's ancestry is. We are too mixed in this world. I recently referred to k-ster's brother from afar as who is that asian guy over there and they are ummm cape verdean and english. no asians there. but he has this little eye thing that makes him kind of look asian. I'd say John Quinones had an asian mother and Spanish father.

Kelsey Claire said...

Hmmm.She sounds like an old lady junky! I mean she could have said her diabetes medicine or something, but pain pills. Would have done the same thing as you and I respect my elders. JUst not the junkies!

Kelly and Sara said...

I wouldn't have given her the money either. I am all for doing kind things but not giving people money, I just dont trust them.

Christa said...

I never know what to do in those kinda situations either. Onetime I had a lady ask me for gas money....I thought she probably was using it to go buy drugs so I did not give her any money. I wish I had a gift card on me or something to give her. I love that show What Would You Do!!!

Cristy said...

Honestly, I would have done the exact same thing. It's one thing if they ask for a dollar. MAYBE I would do that. But $20? That's STEEP. If it's true, you feel horrbile, but unfortunately it's too hard to trust people!

oh and p.s. don't feel bad! If she was just an animation, you have NOTHING to feel bad about! ; )

Anonymous said...

oh I love that show! I don't carry cash either but I would have probably offered to pay for it with my card. Because she was IN the store, I think she is probably more legit than if she was just on the street.

Anonymous said...

I don't carry cash either. I probably would have done the exact same thing you did.
I've never heard of this show or this guy but he definitely looks Asian.

AussieMumma said...

I wouldn't of believed her shady story either!

April said...

I like the idea of going to the pharmacy counter and buying it with a debit card, though I'd be much more likely to buy, like you said, blood pressure meds or something like that than pain meds. Sketch.

Mrs. Pick said...

I'm with you...I wouldn't have given her the money either! Considering she wanted pain meds and cash that just throws up a red flag in my book!

Lola said...

That lady was trying to scam you. Because both Mark and I are self employed our insurance sucks and we have no coverage for prescriptions. I have to figure out how to pay for any meds my family might need. We are relatively healthy and nobody is offering to give me $20 bucks for my pain meds(aka, Captain Morgan). We are working our asses off trying to pay for our life and daycare etc. I am jaded lately. I have been traveling for work the past three weeks and have been hit up daily for a spare quarter, a dollar, yada yada yada. I did give a $5 to a handicapped veteran outside of Tiger stadium two weeks ago but I think it was because I was kind of intoxicated. Life happens to people but you have to get off your ass and help yourself. I sit on an Elderly needs board here in town that helps the commission on aging here in Newaygo County. There are countless programs for the elderly for a number of their needs, a lot of them for payment of medication. If that lady was legit and really needed her meds she would have already been directed to an organization that would have been able to assist her. She was just looking for a fix.

I think that John Quinones dude is Phillipino or something. My sister in laws name was Munoz and her father looks not quite asian and not quite hispanic. Thats my vote!

{Kimber} said...

I wouldn't have given her the $ either...mainly bc I too NEVER have cash, but it just seems weird, I mean WHY did she even GO to the pharmacy if she knew she didn't have $???

weird

and the dude...totally looks asian

LWLH said...

Like I said I try to be a bucket filler but I been bamboozled to many times by people asking for cash so I would said the same thing that I didn't have cash....but then again some old vet guy got $5 outta of me at the mall for some train coalition.

Corrie and Phil said...

I would have enjoyed watching you on "What Would You Do?" That is a crazy show, and Phil and I always ask ourselves how we would handle the situations...like witnessing a waitress being harassed by her boss or an intoxicated driver asking me to blow in her breathalyzer. In your situation, I would have done the exact same thing: told her that I didn't carry cash and then felt badly enough to go a look for her with my debit card in hand. In all honestly though, I wouldn't have been too upset about not finding her.

Unknown said...

I probably would have done something similar. $20 is a lot to ask for from a total stranger...and you never know what she would have done with it.

I mostly keep food in my car to pass out to homeless people and I don't give out cash, mostly b/c I rarely carry it. But I give out granola bars and peanut butter crackers, etc...

Anonymous said...

I never carry cash either and I'm always BROKE so I probably wouldn't have helped her either. And I probably would have felt guilty and blogged about it later. :)

MrsDixon said...

Ok....that man....is for sure an asain man. As for grandma.....tricky. I wouldn't have done it either. If it was a cute little puppy asking for money, then I would have considered. But, old people can be coniving- girl's gotta watch her back!

MommyLovesStilettos said...

His eyes are totally asian!!

I would've told the old hag NO. Sorry, I may be a bitch, but I would have said no!

Charbelle said...

It creeps me out when people ask me for money. On the occasion I've offered to take them in and buy food they turn me down. I've started giving them directions to my church's food pantry. I always feel bad but I never carry cash.

SY said...

I agree with you.. I don't feel comfortable giving money to beggers. Nothing they could say would sound legit to me unfortunately..

It's hard for me to believe that they couldn't ask someone they know instead of going to total strangers, especially for medication

Paige said...

I hate to sound like I have a cold heart. But people that REALLY need the medication, do not bum off of people in the store. That is just not something that happens. I would have called the police to be honest, sounds like this woman was "pan-handling" people.

Matty said...

Some say there are angels among us, testing the way we treat others. I say to trust your instincts. Sure, it could be an old lady using her "old lady-ness" to play on your sympathies and make a quick buck. Or she very well may have been that needy. That "thing" inside you as you look into her eyes should be your gauge on what to do.

Yankee Girl said...

I don't carry cash either, but if I had cash on me I probably would have given it to her....and then I would be the person coming up to you for $20 because I gave it away to someone else when I actually needed it for myself.

The Random Blogette said...

I never carry cash and my account is always in the negative, but I probably would've walked over to the pharmacy counter with her to see if there was anything else to be done. Although if I was in a shitty mood then I probably would've just walked away. Remember, even though they are old doesn't mean that they can't be shady.

The Random Blogette said...

Oh yeah and I swear that John Q is probably MexiAsian. But he sure looks more Asian than Mexican.

Melissa said...

I don't know what I would do, but I do watch that show. It would be neat to be on it!

I don't think I would have given her anything. I don't know - it would just be so random and awkward.

Jessa said...

I won't give a person money. I've fed homeless people. There was one in an Arby's and I went and bought him a whole meal and dessert. And I did it a 2nd time when I saw him again. In fact, I tried to get him a winter coat because he was using a blanket, but I didn't seem him after I had a coat available. I don't carry money either and since it's not a lie, I don't think you should feel bad at all.

Gucci Mama said...

Um, practically the most Asian eyes in the history of time!

The way I'm feeling right now I would have kicked that woman in the vagina if she asked me for money. But, you know, that's me.

Anonymous said...

Oh man! I don't carry cash either..so I would have instantly came off with that. Not sure if I would have felt bad or not. What was she doing there if she didn't have money? Hoping to find some? So weird!