BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I had the exact same exchange with him 2 weeks ago. I gave him an apple I'd just bought at the farmer market

yeah in the encounters i have had with him, that was the same story. i think he has been out of his meds for a while unfortunately. he needs to apply for medical assistance or something similar.

I recommending giving him food. I have given cash on multiple occasions, and he has been robbed, or misplaced it.

anybody know if he's got family or friends for the holiday? for every day?

Yeah, he has had some issues with getting his checks from assistence, and I know that part of the reason is because of being "mentally ill" he needs a cosigner for the checks. He told us his cosigner has stolen the money before, and my good friend who works in the behavioural health field backed this story up as something that happens somewhat often. We usually give him a sammich and some gatorade or go into a store and get him what he needs when we see him.

Hes a good dude. Saw him and rang my bell at him last week.

If you watch some of the videos of him on youtube, there are comments by people in his family pleading to take the videos down.

You really have to take everything the man says with a couple grains of salt but he is really nice.

poor guy. I found one of the comments on one of the videos and tried to reply. I hope my response does more soothing than flaming. I just get such a good vibe every time I talk to him, I can't shake that. He's got such a good heart and spirit.

I'm guessing that the family would like the videos (probably too late now) removed because it makes him a "target" for those who would take advantage of him. He's especially vulnerable because of the combination of good nature/"mental issues". He also stands out in a crowd, which also makes him an easy target. Plain, simple compassion such as buying/giving him food is probably about the best that our chance encounters can do.

Not that I disagree with the videos leading him out as a target, but if they're his family, why are we the ones giving him money/food?

With the qualifier that I'm hardly an expert on people and that your your question is at least partially rhetorical (an assumption with all that implies). Maybe a simple act of compassion is easier with a stranger than with family. Nothing with family ever seems to be simple.

because we are a large group of people and give relatively little individually, and they are a small group of people who have probably given a lot over a long period of time and may not be as well of as we are.