A Public Apology to bums, tramps, and travellers

[BusGypsy]

I'm sorry and I apologize.
For chasing you from sniping cigarettes in front of my hotel. It disturbs guests, but the more I think about it, I don't blame you and don't want to be a hypocrite.
For chasing you away from dumpster diving, when I in fact support it politically. Was just trying to do my job, but you know what, as long as you're discreet and don't bother people, go for it.
For giving you shit about being in my lobby.
Still, please don't beg from my guests; they are at a hotel, and it's my job to at least make them comfy.
But I hope you tramp kids over there across the parking lot noticed how I discreetly distracting the old afluent couple I was checking in as you sniped and dumpster dived behind their backs. Thanks for making a quick exit before they turned around!
I was trying to do my job, or at least what I thought my job was.
But I'm trying now to live my life more aligned with my beliefs and morals.

 

[BusGypsy]

That's a tough position - also begs the question when is rubbish fair game?
Additionally, how much of your job directly entails sparing guests from the spectacle of human desperation/suffering?

While they're on property. So, at a hotel.

 

[BusGypsy]

Yeah most people never seem to learn the real value in being discreet and/or careful

Discretion is *still* the better part of valor.

 

[THE REAL SCAVENGER]

I have high expectations and I will tell you quit your job if you can. I myself would not have a job that did that. Yeah that sucks dude I don't accept your apology though until you quit

 

[All Who Wander]

Wow, so you lie to your boss, pretend to do the job he's paying you to do, so you can what... feel your living more honestly in line with your philosophical beliefs?

Why dont you just tell your boss your going to let people go through the ash trays, dumpster, etc. That you dont want to do that part of your job and see what he says. Sometimes it pays to just be honest. Even if he says no or gives you a warning at least you were honest with him.

 

[Deleted member 22934]

I worked at a rest area and I was supposed to tell people not to dig thru the trash for alluminum cans. I tried to avoid having to notice them. If they did it right in front of me, Id just tell them that I had to tell them to stop, but im about to go to the far side and wont be back for a while, so wait until im gone. Ive been on the other end of that deal too. I was living in a tent on my bike in oregon last summer, and nothing would piss me off more than some prick at the gas station who would tell me to leave everytime I stopped to check for cans. Most people were cool about it and didnt care. But every now and then, youd get some prick, whod stop everything he was doing to remind me of their company policy. Like I give a fuck, ya know? Im out here digging thru peoples trash so i can get a cheeseburger, and you think you can stop me. Hahahaha Good luck with that.

 

[All Who Wander]

Got priors George? I've called cops on dumpster divers I've already told to leave. Bout half the time they get arrested for warrents and go away in newspaper taxis. The other half never come back after the cops talk to em.

As a side note, I tell em the local grocery store is cool with giving away the food from the Deli. Go there round 8 pm and tell the manager your hungry and at 9pm you'll have more food than you can carry. I just dont get why you'd want to go through a dumpster somebody told you they dont want you going through. There are other options.

 

[Deleted member 22934]

yea thats a good idea. Theres other ways to get what you need, but I could never see what the problem was. Some guy whos by himself and not bothering anybody, trying to redeem some cans and bottles for the bottle and can tax... Whats the problem? They were going to throw it away anyways. So why not let some guy pull them out and move on with his business. I never made a mess, and id always be discrete and polite. Like I said MOST people wouldnt mind at all. Theres 3 types of people, okay. 1 is the people who dont care. 2 is the people who run you off because they collect the cans themselves. And 3 is the jackass who runs you off, because its "company policy". Its the 3rd that never made sense to me. I never gave a fuck. Id do it anyways. They'd come out chasing me, "we told you 6 times already this week! And its only Tuesday" I'd haul ass and yell back at them "Okay! Ill see you tomorrow" Calling the cops wouldnt make a difference. Id be long gone anyways.

And do I have priors? Who the fuck you think I am? Of course I got priors. What the kinda person with a clean record, is out digging thru trash cans to make a few bucks. If I didnt have a record, Id have an easy retail job, id be married with kids, driving a nice truck, and living in the suburbs. Am I wrong? How many people with clean records are walking around town with a bag full of cans and bottles, digging thru trash bins. Probably not many.

 

[Deleted member 22934]

After this prick gets done chasing me out of the parking lot all week, hes cashing his check and taking his girlfriend to eat at Olive Garden. Then their going to have some fun in a warm appartment. Meanwhile after Ive collected cans all day on my 10 speed, Im going to jack off in my hammock, under a tarp, and freeze my ass off all night. So why in the does a guy like that feel the need, to try and stop me from scavenging a few bucks? I could never wrap my head around it.

It often seems like the people who live the most comfortably and have the fewest reasons to give anyone else a hard time, are the ones who do. The people who will give you a hard time and bust your balls over every stupid little thing, are usually the people who have never been thru shit and never had hard times. They're life is comfortable and easy, so they take it upon themselves to make yours as hard as possible.

 

[Dameon]

I have high expectations and I will tell you quit your job if you can. I myself would not have a job that did that. Yeah that sucks dude I don't accept your apology though until you quit

People gotta make a living, and it's not like her job has her doing something horrible.

Wow, so you lie to your boss, pretend to do the job he's paying you to do, so you can what... feel your living more honestly in line with your philosophical beliefs?

Why dont you just tell your boss your going to let people go through the ash trays, dumpster, etc. That you dont want to do that part of your job and see what he says. Sometimes it pays to just be honest. Even if he says no or gives you a warning at least you were honest with him.

Screw that, how's it going to pay in this circumstance? Boss is going to either tell her hell no and keep a closer eye on her, or fire her and replace her with some asshole that will have no problem being a narc and calling the cops to come arrest some homeless guy for digging through the trash for food and recyclables that would have just gone to the dump. Honesty isn't *always* the best policy; I'll trust somebody who'll lie to their boss over somebody that'll call the cops on dumpster divers any day.

 

[All Who Wander]

Cool, I can give you a 4th type and a lil suggestion that may help... the hotel where I work, occasionally guests will throw away documents that have credit card info on them, like old bording passes, past dated online event tickets, etc. or we've shredded documents that have sensitive info on them that feasibility somebody could tape up. For that reason and the fact that when guests see homeless rooting through the dumpster they believe the security at the hotel is lacking and write online reviews saying as much.

Also, we have ashtrays outside the rooms, cig snipers will go around the hotel getting the shorts... BUT thats not all they do... they also look for rooms where the door wasnt completely shut and steal shit. Sometimes they even try yanking on the doors, forcing em open. And we've had em break into storage rooms to steal towels, sheets, toiletries, whatever. I've even caught em sleeping in there after they broke the lock but passed out drunk.

So for all of those reasons, theres a strict no homeless on the property ever rule. I get paid to enforce that. I might not like it but I do it. Very rarely Ive talked to somebody, who really impressed me, and ive given them money. One gal I drove to a homless shelter to get her away from an abusive guy she was traveling with.

And thats my suggestion... just dont be a dick. If your asked to leave then leave. But go ahead and ask... know anywhere I could get a shower or sleep? Know any place I could get some food? I know lots of places for both of those in the area, and am happy to share if you come at me without attitude, but act like I owe you something or aim screwing you over by saying "leave"... if ya give me reason.. very bored small town cops will be there in less than 5 minutes.

 

[Deleted member 22934]

Wait a minute! Hey now... Give me a little credit here. I got a felony when I was young and dumb. Actually I got 2 felonies, but those days are long behind me now. Im not a theif, I dont steal from any place or any person. My felonies are from 10 years ago, and I havent done anything for the last 10 years except try to clear my name and be a decent guy.

I havent broken any laws for a very long time... If I was a criminal, Why would i dig thru trash for a few bucks. Why not just go inside a store and take what I need... Thats the whole point in canning. So I can get money legally.

 

[Deleted member 22934]

O nevermind. I thought you were suggesting something illegal... Yeah Im really a decent person. I just say stupid shit because its funny.

I had to read your post a second time to really understand it.

But you my friend, definately fall into the 3rd catagory of anti-homeless.

the 3rd category is the guys who love to tell you all about "company policy" and all that good stuff. And its a bummer because 90% of people can dig thru a trash and dumpster just for the cans and leave no mess and do no harm... But you got that other 10% of people who are out looking for someone to victimize. And they make a mess and leave trash all over the ground. Its the few dickheads who ruin it for everybody.

 

[Dameon]

So for all of those reasons, theres a strict no homeless on the property ever rule. I get paid to enforce that. I might not like it but I do it. Very rarely Ive talked to somebody, who really impressed me, and ive given them money. One gal I drove to a homless shelter to get her away from an abusive guy she was traveling with.

You're never ever going to convince me that calling the cops on people is more moral than lying to your boss. And the way it reads when you talk about it, it seems like you're proud of your ability to call the cops and get people arrested for sniping and digging through your dumpster.

If calling the cops was a regular part of my job, I'd be looking for another job. I had to call the cops on a guy once way back when I was a fast food manager, and I still feel guilty about it.

 

[Deleted member 22934]

Hey All Who Wander, my bad bro. I should have read your whole post before responding. For a minute I thought you were suggesting that I should commit identity theift. Dont get the wrong idea about me. I work and have a vehicle. I live in a building. But when I got stranded in Oregon and I was collecting cans for food money. Thats basically what was going thru. After reading your entire post, I dont blame you for seeing things the way you do. Its incredible how shitty some people are. I went thru some hard times for a few years and I had every reason to break laws and do some shitty stuff, but I didnt. In fact, I didnt break any laws. I got food money from cans and donating plasma. I lived in my tent and rode around on my bike.

The thing that really struck me, was the general attitude I got from people. I was a decent guy in the middle of some rough times, but people daily would treat me like a criminal and a terrorist. I really got sick of being treated as a threat. When in fact, I wasnt a threat to anybody. I moved away to try and better my life. And only became homeless because of moving around for too long and not finding work for a while....

Still, Its the 90%/10%

10% of people ruin things for the other 90%

 

[All Who Wander]

Juan- Pismo/san luis obispo is where a hell of a lot of cargo trains slow down after coming through the mountains and the first place they hit the coast, smack dab in the middle of frisco and LA, so this is where a lot of travelers hop off. We get a lot of hobo villages near by, in the summer there's lots of tourists so it's not so bad, most of the rest of the year has cal-poly, 80% of the population in SLO, and very liberal college kids are good for change...

but winter, no tourists, no college kids... travelers with no money and nobody to panhandle from and no easy free way to get to a bigger city... it can get bad in winter... not so much that I got an axe to grind but...

I take pride in my work, my hotel, my workers. For us this is our small town livelihood, it's important to us. I've been here 7 years when I never stayed anywhere more than like 3 years since I was about 20. I hired everyone I work with, they are more like family and friends to me than just co-workers. Everyone here has worked here more than 2 years, nobody quits this job once their "part of the crew" that's really rare. It's a pretty special place in this sea of don't give a shit managers and "time for your employee review" corporate bullshit, and forgive me for sounding like a bad western villain, but I don't take kindly to anybody who wants to threaten what we have.

And... The internet changed everything. Just one bad review, one guest feels threatened when some dirty traveler peeks through their stupidly open window and wammo the owner gets to pay $1,600.00 higher franchise fees cause a "Likely to return to brand" ratio was off minimum standard by .1% and then he owner wants to have a chat about how I gotta boost the reviews.

I'm not anti-homeless, and I would rather just give away breakfast etc. but the reality is that just can't happen, it's a different world now. Everyone's opinion is really important regardless of how ridiculous it may be.

George- yeah, all good man. I don't love telling hungry dudes looking for the uneaten waffles, sorry it's hotel policy I gotta kick ya out. but I gotta do it. There's no choice about it if I wanna keep my job and I generally really like my job.

 

[All Who Wander]

You're never ever going to convince me that calling the cops on people is more moral than lying to your boss. And the way it reads when you talk about it, it seems like you're proud of your ability to call the cops and get people arrested for sniping and digging through your dumpster.

If calling the cops was a regular part of my job, I'd be looking for another job. I had to call the cops on a guy once way back when I was a fast food manager, and I still feel guilty about it.

Maybe it's different for me, small town right? I hang out with the cops, have coffee with em at the all night gas station, debate politics... etc.. Their good guys. If I got trouble... some really drunk dude threatening me with a huge ass box cutter cause I told him to turn his music down at 2 am on a wednesday (true story)... cops are there damn fast. (seriously like 2 minutes) I do appreciate that. It's not something I'm really proud of, but earlier George was saying like... "Hey I'm a guy digging through garbage for a hamburger, what are cops gonna do to me? They don't even have time to deal with me." I can understand that in a big city but really really not the case here.

In a lot of ways the cops here are like me, small town guys, they have compassion, generally want to help ya and will if they can, but they got a job to do. giving em attitude when their doing that job isn't a good idea.

and about that "tell your boss" thing... let me put it this way... if your a new hire at my place I'm going to know pretty quick if your doing your job or not. It's WAAAAAAAAY better to be straight with me than to try and bs me.

I had a girl here for a year or so that just could not take dealing with another employee. Got so bad they weren't allowed to talk to each other and had to pass communications through me. She didn't want to quit but I made some suggestions... I got her another job at a different hotel that paid $2.00 an hour more than my hotel, had the morning shifts she wanted and could never get here, and had better benefits. We're still friends, she brings her kids over to see me.

I pretty much know the owner or manager every winery, restaurant, hotel, bike rental, ice cream shop, mechanic, and tourist focused business in the area. If your not happy at the place I manage... if your a good honest hard worker and just don't like this job, I'm happy to get you a job someplace where you will be happy.

but lie to my face, pretend to do the job your getting paid for while conning me... after I find out, after you get fired, when the new person considering hiring you calls me and says "Hey Jeff, so you didn't give this guy a recommendation letter... I'm assuming this one is a 'not eligible for re-hire' ?" you aren't getting hired in this area, good luck with your move.

That's why you should be honest with your boss... this boss anyway.

 

[Dameon]

That's why you should be honest with your boss... this boss anyway.

Yeah dude, it's pretty obvious you're powertripping hard, which is pretty sad since you have so little power.

 

[All Who Wander]

If I gave you a job, that means I told 15 or 20 other people you had convinced me you would do that job better than they would.

Then it takes about 3 weeks of hard training where your getting paid to learn how to do the job but cant really work solo, then about 2 months before you actually got the job down. Thats a lot of time and money to put into somebody.

After all that Is it powertripping to want the person I hired and trained to do the job they get paid for and not to lie to me about it? Or for me to expect when I tell a stranger they gotta leave our hotel that they actually leave?

Maybe I am powertripping, I dont wanna be. Please explain that in more detail.

 

[BusGypsy]

I have high expectations and I will tell you quit your job if you can. I myself would not have a job that did that. Yeah that sucks dude I don't accept your apology though until you quit

Ha, I don't need your personal forgiveness, I'm making a living and I won't fault anyone for that so long as they aren't hurting others. It's easy to judge others.... I don't feel the need to be hostile at others I guess.

I worked at a rest area and I was supposed to tell people not to dig thru the trash for alluminum cans. I tried to avoid having to notice them. If they did it right in front of me, Id just tell them that I had to tell them to stop, but im about to go to the far side and wont be back for a while, so wait until im gone. Ive been on the other end of that deal too. I was living in a tent on my bike in oregon last summer, and nothing would piss me off more than some prick at the gas station who would tell me to leave everytime I stopped to check for cans. Most people were cool about it and didnt care. But every now and then, youd get some prick, whod stop everything he was doing to remind me of their company policy. Like I give a fuck, ya know? Im out here digging thru peoples trash so i can get a cheeseburger, and you think you can stop me. Hahahaha Good luck with that.

Yeah you're right except no need to be antagonistic about it.

yea thats a good idea. Theres other ways to get what you need, but I could never see what the problem was. Some guy whos by himself and not bothering anybody, trying to redeem some cans and bottles for the bottle and can tax... Whats the problem? They were going to throw it away anyways. So why not let some guy pull them out and move on with his business. I never made a mess, and id always be discrete and polite. Like I said MOST people wouldnt mind at all. Theres 3 types of people, okay. 1 is the people who dont care. 2 is the people who run you off because they collect the cans themselves. And 3 is the jackass who runs you off, because its "company policy". Its the 3rd that never made sense to me. I never gave a fuck. Id do it anyways. They'd come out chasing me, "we told you 6 times already this week! And its only Tuesday" I'd haul ass and yell back at them "Okay! Ill see you tomorrow" Calling the cops wouldnt make a difference. Id be long gone anyways.

And do I have priors? Who the fuck you think I am? Of course I got priors. What the kinda person with a clean record, is out digging thru trash cans to make a few bucks. If I didnt have a record, Id have an easy retail job, id be married with kids, driving a nice truck, and living in the suburbs. Am I wrong? How many people with clean records are walking around town with a bag full of cans and bottles, digging thru trash bins. Probably not many.

I don't have a record... it's about not getting caught.
And yeah unfortunately, some people DO leave huge messes. They'll dig out all the trash and leave it around; aty the very least, not friendly to the environment. And yeah, it grosses out peoplem who don't understand. A wise man taught me, "Don't scare the squares." It just causes trouble.

After this prick gets done chasing me out of the parking lot all week, hes cashing his check and taking his girlfriend to eat at Olive Garden. Then their going to have some fun in a warm appartment. Meanwhile after Ive collected cans all day on my 10 speed, Im going to jack off in my hammock, under a tarp, and freeze my ass off all night. So why in the does a guy like that feel the need, to try and stop me from scavenging a few bucks? I could never wrap my head around it.

It often seems like the people who live the most comfortably and have the fewest reasons to give anyone else a hard time, are the ones who do. The people who will give you a hard time and bust your balls over every stupid little thing, are usually the people who have never been thru shit and never had hard times. They're life is comfortable and easy, so they take it upon themselves to make yours as hard as possible.

So wait, is it a lifestyle choice or not? if it is, you're not really in a position to resent others. And you can't really say you know what other people are going through. You just don't know.