Post office kids

[Stealhead]

The other day I stop by my post office to check the mail at around 4:30 in the afternoon.This post office is a in a rural area not at all urban though there are homes in the same area.The Postmaster usually heads home by 4:00pm but of course the public section of the PO is open 24/7.

Anyway as I go to walk in I see this 7 maybe 8 year old girl standing inside and another kid a boy maybe 6 or 7 is inside side sitting on the floor.Anyway this office has a "U" shape and my box is on the far side and blind to me at this point.The boy asks me "Does anyone work here?" sort of a strange question so I say "Someone is usually here until 4."

I am trying to gauge the situation with these kids lost,decoy to distract,there to ask for money.... I decide to side with caution and assume that there might be an adult or larger teenage kid lying in wait on the other side of "U" which of course is where my box is.So I face in that direction and the kids are following me saying something about the newspaper machines outside.I I say something about those my intent that if there is someone waiting they think that my guard is down.

Well round the corner of the "U" no body is there but the kids are still following me so I am still expecting maybe someone is on the outside of the building waiting for me to come out.In the mean time another little girl walks in about the same age as the boy.

My guess is that either the kids have no adult supervision or the parents sent them to beg for money and the kids felt that I was not receptive which I would not have given them money as more than likely they take it home to mom and dad and they go buy drugs or booze.That or perhaps there was an adult waiting in ambush but they where not there where I was for some reason.Good thing as no one is robbing me.

Long story short I just hoped into my truck and left.I felt that something was off about the whole thing as the kids did not seem to be distressed in any way like this was a normal thing to them.Calling the law was pointless as by the time they had shown up the kids and anyone else would have been long gone.even if they had been there the cops only can take them home and then the kids leave and do whatever as soon a the cop drives away.

Panhandling is the most likely thing these kids where up to as that seems to be very popular in Florida at gas stations in particular.Adults will try and walk up to you and make up a story about needing money (of course really it is for drugs or booze) usually I spot them coming and I simply say "Do not come any closer I am not giving you money" and they leave.Sorry but you're gonna have to get the cash for your meth someplace else.

I can't count the 'cons' that have been tried on me as I travel all over the country.


Kids comeing up with tales of a dieing family member and we need gas money to adults asking if I have an extra smoke.
(They only come 20 in a pack and there were no extras I always tell them)

To the guy on the corner begging I followed once.
He had a big camper that I'd love to have and a nice trailor behind that!

[Stealhead]

Yeah it almost certainly panhandling and the parents told them to target older folks.I did not recognize these kids either was the thing if they where locals I would have seen them someplace before.Waiting for a bus or playing around with other kids.

Once last year this teenage male maybe 15 or 16 flagged me down and he looked like he really needed help.So I roll down the window and ask cause I figure he is trying to get away from some of the ruffian kids that are in the area and maybe he was trying to avoid them and just did not say.

He just wanted to know where the Subway was there is a one inside a gas station about a mile away so I told him how to go on foot the safest way.He did not ask for money but for some reason or another he seemed liked he did need it but did not ask so I asked and he said he that he did so I gave him enough to buy a full meal.Couple days later I saw him again riding a bike and he gave me the same amount of money I had given him.I never saw him again after that.Who knows lots of vagrant families around here.Despite having lousy parents some kids still manage to be decent members of society though it surely must be harder for them.Then you have kids raised by so called decent people and they are dirt bags it takes all kinds I suppose.If everyone was the exact same way the world would be a very boring place.

It's sad to say but after awhile?
You kind of get a feeling for the scammers and the ones that really need help.

I try hard not to be jaded in that area but those that take advantage of good will make it very hard.

[Stealhead]

The same effect is used by insurgencies they want their enemy to feel that everyone is against them when in reality perhaps only a small portion of the local population are supporters.But when something happens it makes the opposing force fell like everyone is the enemy.That helps push the ones in the middle toward the insurgency.

Of course scammers want to think that they are in need just like someone who really is in need.But when you see a person scamming it makes you feel like they are all scamming.And of course the scammer is not completely lying either they just are not telling you what they really are after.A good one is if the person "wants" food and you happen to have some or offer to buy it for them a scammer will find some reason not to take it.

Only one other time have I given someone money for food on the street it was some guy that had just gotten out of prison and he told me that he had spent the money the day he got released to buy one meal and the rest on a cab fair to the half way house he was paroled to.There was he said exactly what he wanted to eat and that he already had so many dollars left(I forget the amount 2 or 3 dollars) for the cost so I gave it to him and he did walk right over to the restaurant the manager was waiting for him and he gave the guy the money and the manager came out with the food and the parolee stood right there and ate it.

Maybe I have good Spiedy sense.

By the way in New Orleans they are all scammers.New Orleans is Gutter Punk heaven(their name not mine).Of course Gutter Punks do not lie about who they are while a scammer does.

[mapuc]

We had the same problem in our town or the town I lived in before. Here we was told through the local newspaper, that if we ran it those kids, we, should not give them money, we should call the police, who then came and toke those kids to the social authorities.

Markus