We were confronted by a bum the other night

[Doug.38PR]

Last week my father, mother and I were leaving an Astros game at Minute Maid park in downtown Houston the other night. We left a few innings before the game was over and were a lone party leaving the park. We crossed the street and walked through a dark parkinglot to get to another lot to where my car was parked.
Suddenly, out of the shadows from between some cars comes this bum with a towel, squeegiee and a bottle of windex saying (at night) "Excuse me can I wash your windshield. Please please I'm just trying to make an honest living" He kept following us right behind or paralleling us for about 20-30 feet repeating this each time me or my dad would firmly say "no" or "no thank you." As we were leaving a sports game I wasn't able to have my gun with me so I kept my carkey point sticking out from between my middle and ring finger. My dad kept himself behind my mom between her and the bum and I put myself beside the bum offering support carefully watching what he was doing with his hands rather than what he was saying.
He eventually walked away.
Dad expressed a concern after we got in the car and on our way that I didn't even think of at the moment. "I was worried he was trying to distract us waiting for some accomplice down the parkinglot to come up from our other side and hold us up." The bum was so persistant and was offering his window services at an odd hour. Suspicious. Didn't seem like a very strong guy. Somewhat frail just by looking at him compared to me a 29 year old or even my 62 year old dad.

[Blackwater OPS]

Suddenly, out of the shadows from between some cars comes this bum with a towel, squeegiee and a bottle of windex saying (at night) "Excuse me can I wash your windshield. Please please I'm just trying to make an honest living"

I'm surprised you did not shoot him Doug...

As we were leaving a sports game I wasn't able to have my gun with me

Oh...

[CobrayCommando]

LMFAO! So cruel BWO!

[Fn-P9]

He was prob bullet proof anyways. Meth makes you superman and lets you stay productive all week long without sleep

[PythonGuy]

For god's sake can someone get Doogie some blocks to play with so he doesn't have to get so scared about living??? Just think, in another month there will be scary little people in mask's wandering all over your neighborhood ringing bells and knocking on doors asking for candy. Will you jump out of your doorway roll three times and draw?? How about bushwacking the little varmints from the porch? Doog's, find a GF or something and you'll have no time to fear the boogieman.

[springmom]

Those guys are harmless. Hubster is approached all the time. Mayor White has asked that we not give directly to them but rather to Star of Hope mission or one of the other charities that actually feeds and helps these folks.

In Houston, it's not the bums, it's the gangsters you need to watch out for. This wasn't anything to worry about. Might be worth calling the mayor's office and complaining, though...

Springmom

[CDH]

In Houston, it's not the bums, it's the gangsters you need to watch out for.

How true. I don't think you'd find even one "gangsta" demeaning themselves enough to hold a squeegee in their hands even for the purpose of a distraction. They're too "manly" for that.

We'll know that the gang thugs are using "bum" tactics when I see the first "Please help.. I need bullets" sign (written on the back of a Pulty Homes ad sign) held by someone wearing a doo rag and with the waist band of their pants hanging somewhere around their knees.

Then I'd be afraid... very afraid.

Carter

[springmom]

Can't........breathe.........laughing........too.......hard...........

Carter, you're a riot. Thanks, I needed a laugh this morning.

Springmom

[shield20]

Why not give the guy a few bucks - he's probably hungry (or thirsty)?

[azurefly]

So what's the consensus, here?

No bums are ever unpredictable or dangerous?

We shouldn't be on our guard as we leave a sports arena, not even when we pass through dark parking lots and are approached by strangers?

There is no merit in being alert to the possibility that a distraction tactic is being employed as we are led to an ambush?

There are times when in public, at night, we should be proud to wander around in condition white?

I don't know why you all had to pile on Doug. He raised valid concerns. I think that to dismiss bums as a complete category, saying that they are overall harmless (what a wild generalization!) is pretty silly. Sillier by far than arguing for some alertness and preparation.


-azurefly

[springmom]

Well, actually, those of us who live in Houston know which bums he's talking about, and we DO know these particular bums are harmless. I'm as condition orange as the next person, but these guys are just there in their little brain fogs and they ask for money. I do not recall there EVER having been a robbery or violent crime committed by any of them. Committed ON them, yup, but not BY them.

Some people really are harmless. Dirty, smelly, and often drunk, but harmless.

Springmom

[ceetee]

Reminds me of a poster I saw tacked to a public bulletin board. It showed a homeless man holding a sign that read, "By giving me money, you're actually helping me hurt myself by allowing me to keep on living on the streets. Instead, you should be giving your $5 to an organization that will get me to a shelter, where I can be fed, given medical treatment, and helped off the streets."

Or words to that effect...

[azurefly]

Springmom,
I wasn't asking you to jump straight from condition white on past yellow direct to orange, you know...

I don't go around in condition orange. Yellow is adequate when you haven't actually identified a discerned threat.


-azurefly

[Capt. Charlie]

Closed.

If you have to ask why, see the last few posts in this thread.