You got a quarter?

I stopped into this Popeye's on flatbush in Brooklyn a couple weeks ago (you know how us colored's love our chicken...). As soon as I walk in, a woman is standing there and says, 'Excuse me, you got a quarter?' I only had a $20, so I said, no, and got online. It struck me as funny that she wanted specifically a quarter... not a dollar, not change... but a quarter. Whatchoo gon' do with a quarter? You can't even make a phone call with that... but... whatever.

She proceeded to ask everyone that came through the door. I saw at least 5 people give her a quarter... once she got everyone coming in, she came back to the line, and asked us all again, 'You got a quarter?' I calmly said, no, again. And she walked out of the restaurant.

Then my boys in the car decided they were hungry, and come and hop on line with me. And she comes back in. 'You got a quarter?' I was like... yo, please give this woman any change ya'll got cause this is the third time she's asked. My boys collectively gave her $2.25 in change. And she left.

We finally get up front and we finish ordering our food, and I turn around. 'You got a quarter?' Am I stuck in the Twilight Zone? '50 First Dates'? 'Groundhog's Day'? Now ya'll know I have a short tolerance for bullshyt... so I am like What the fukk?!? We just gave you a few dollars two seconds ago... GET AWAY FROM ME! My boys all thought it was hilarious and proceeded to ask me for quarters repeatedly for the remainder of the evening. I saw quarterlady collect at least $10 in like 10-15 minutes... it was a hustle.

It made me angry. Despite my frequent angry episodes of late, I am a pretty sincere sweet guy most of the time. I usually give to every sad looking person on the streets because I feel so bad for them. But it angers me to see people taking advantage of bleeding heart folks like me.

The X says that I shouldn't have flipped, saying maybe she was crazy, as illustrated by her repeatedly asking me the same question as if it were the first time. And that I am only a couple paychecks from living at my mama's house my dayum self, and I shouldn't be looking down my nose at folks. X had a point. I shouldnt assume everyone is sane and taking advantage, but I say its naive to think that everyone on the street is truly helpless and not hustling you. To which X replied, so what if you get hustled out of a quarter... 'ITS A DAYUM QUARTER! Uggggh!' (lol) (I hate when the X is right... BOOOOOOOOO!)

OK... so we were hustled out of a few quarters. We got some good karma out of it. And hey, at least it clearly wasn't for crack, as quarterlady was obviously not crack-ishly thin.(see photo to the right, that is really her...) Her addiction was... nappy wigs and Popeye's Chicken. I can't speak on the bad wig thing, but the chicken is rather tasty.

Comments

[Fresh]

And I quote "Her addiction was... nappy wigs and Popeye's Chicken. I can't speak on the bad wig, but the chicken is rather tasty."

LMAO! You don't have any sense. you'll probably right though.

[Frederick Smith]

Dude, too funny. So she got you, too? lol.
fs

[Zeezy4Sheezy]

Good Thing she doesn't live in Atlanta she could have got locked up for that after City council passed the ordinance to ban panhandling, and Bums with Ricky Williams-esqe facial hair

[jimmy woo]

lmao...sadly enough, i think i was approached by the same woman. different wig, same dress.

[TaZorro]

Hmm, you shoulda sang bits "Mista, Mista" by The Fugees.. almost perfect song for the situation ..

Excerpt:
"Mista, Mista. Can I get a quarter. So I can get something to eat. Hell no muthafu**a... What can a quarter get you? Nothing muthafu**a..."

[Valentino]

Ok so why did I think that was Heather B the rapper this whole time...lol...I was wondering what she had to do with the story...I've been asked for a quarter out here too...maybe it's a new thing.

[Nikki]

LMMFAO, I'm over her rollin' at Valentino for that Heather B remark!!

[DJ DIVA]

Damn Valentino...that's some real real world ish right there LMBAO

But uhm...PS can I get a quarter? LOL

[Holiday N]

The X was right...don't you hate that?...don't you dare tell him you(or I) said that.It was just a quarter and she was obviously a loon,I would have given her a quarter and then imaginary ones for her imaginary world where she's got loads and loads of laundry.

[Divo]

LMFAO @ TaZorro....

"Mista, Mista..."

That was the first thing that came to my mind, other than she probably suffers a disorder.

Second thing I was thinking, why the hell you take a picture, now that is infringement.

But I was LMAO.

Kool Post.

Until Next Time,

I came in Peace, and in Peace I leave.

[rocka]

That lady would have made me change restuarants... lmao @ this post.

[Bgrits]

You folks are too funny with the comments.

Am I the only one that has noticed that people usually panhandle at chicken places (Popeye's, Church's, KFC) but never at Burger King or Mickey D's?

[Danyel]

insane you are. and funny.

[Butta]

Bwah ha ha!! This reminds me of a run in I had with a homeless lady. Saw her one day in downtown DC and she gave me some sob story about being pregnant and hungry and homeless yadda yadda yadda. Felt sorry for her and gave up some loot. Saw the same homeless lady ONE YEAR LATER and she repeated the EXACT SAME STORY. Call me what you want but I went smooth off on that old lyin' heffa.

Anyway, you got a quarter?

[Brenda]

Ok--So I am late on this post--forgive me--

I had a lady on H street in DC ask me for money for food--my manfriend (knowing that she would spend the money on likka!)
said..let me buy you something to eat--we go in the store and get her a hotdog. Dontcha know--this crackhead was trying to SELL the damn hotdog TO US as we came out the store. WTF?--LOL--what can you do? *smh*

[my truth]

Can't knock her hustle. Quarters add up to dollars..lol

[Marlon]

I swear I remember this chick from last summer. It was late as hell and we stopped in because we didn't wanna drink on an empty stomach. And this chick approaches just like that. I think she was still new to panhandlin, so she was just askin for money then. Too funny man!

[EJ]

Yo, this is hillarious...and it's great that you got her photo. Makes it that much better.

[grendel]

Mount vernon, ny got a quarter lady too. Funny thing is that several years back she was on the "grid" like everyone else i know and was working and so on. Then like3-4 years ago I seen her just askin for quarters while turning in a circle to try and maximize her begging circle ratio to everyone that passed by. Now when i see her, I beat her to the punch and ask her for a quarter first cause I know her beggin ass for sure got one.

[msjaim]

I'm stil tripping on the fact u have a picture of her on ur blog.. that shit's hilarious!

Considering I work pretty hard for my pennies ...I dont give sh!t away. Sounds selfish, but its the truth!. I hate it when I see the same ppl out every morning in the same spot. I know I dont know the individual stories Im not even trying to, but if a person can get their ass up @ 6 in the orning to go beg in front of mcdonalds, go to a shelter clean ur ass up & apply for the job inside of mcdonalds cuz My grip is tight on my loot. A hustle ppl have here in chicago now is through the kids. these grown ass fools have their kids out here selling m &m s for a dollar , when they go buy the 36 pack box of M & Ms for $3.69.. talking about they're selling candy for their cheerleading team! Ive seen theses kids all over the place, yeah they could be trying to rob folks.. but Im still not coming off of nothing.. All it takes is one incident for my ass to be fired then Im in the same predicament.

[Kim]

You got a quarter..lol