I just gave a total stranger $200, Have i done the wrong thing?

[Miss Kirsty]

I was just at 9am ish playing on the poker machines at my local...The lady sitting next to me was jamming the cash through her machine to no avail...I won $3600...She said i was very lucky and walked out!..I left 5 mins later with a cheque and some cash....I saw her sitting in her car crying....I tapped on the car window and she wound it down...

I handed her 4 x $50 notes and told her to take it and go home and not to put it in the poker machines...SHe promised she wouldnt, I mean it makes no difference to me..If she wants to lie to me, then go for it....But is what i did bad? Will it just encourage her do you think? No-one ever did anything like that to me before and im an easy come easy go person...Walked in club with $50, walk out with alot of money after i give $200 away....Im still way way happy and i feel like i gave the lady a second chance for the day....
Ive gambled a few times over the years and lost all my muns and felt really down about it, so i know how she felt....

I mean i might have saved her or given her ammunition to go play more, who knows....

Would any other dark siders have done this? OR do you think i did more harm than good....

 

[yteek]

You didn't do nothing wrong, I just don't know if it will lead anything good.

Its the though that counts, they say.

 

[cire113]

If anything you did something right ??

 

[xstayfadedx]

That was very nice of you . Again she may go use it in the slots again but if she does she does. If she doesn't then she doesn't. Its the thought that counts.

 

[ratgirldjh]

i think it was very cool. now don't make it into something bad by stressing out about it!

once i gave a homeless guy a $20 by accident! he said wow you sure are generous and i thought he was being sarcastic since i thought i gave him a $1.00 lol

when i got to the store i didn't have enough money to get what i went for! i figured i did a good thing

eta: once years ago when my rat was strung out on dope she was sitting in a roadside rest room feeling sick and waiting to feel a bit better before going back to the car.

a lady walked in used the bath room and when she left she slipped me a hundred dollar bill! this totally and completely made my day! i still remember this act of kindness and it has been over 15 years ago!

 

[Miss Kirsty]

Thanks guys...I was thinking did she see me comming?....hahaha...But her tears were genuine, that i could tell...I just removed the amounts as ive "triggered" before and didnt want to send a reformed pokie player out for a slap!...I play them once a week but i only take a set amount of money with me, and NEVER my card...My hubby doesnt know i play so ive had to hide the money...I fell a bit guilty about that too...

I was wondering if what i did was like giving an addict money to score because you feel sorry for them being sick? I mean i am sure the lady knows she wont be bailed out like that again in a hurry....She had a bad feel to her...And i felt guilty winning in front of her!..WHen the thing kept going up i was getting embarrased...

 

[Miss Kirsty]

Ahhhemmmm, Sorry your rat?

You sound just like me!...I give the very last cent outta my pocket sometimes...We have this big guy who sits at coles and really rudely says" Got a dollar" every day...Thats how he does his shopping i think...Sits there until he gets money and then goes into the shop and gets his stuff...smokes usually..For some reason i dont feel sorry for him..I dont feel like ever giving him a dollar...But the local busker sure...At least hes doing something..Nothing like a bit of Neil Young on the way down the bakery!!

I love random acts of kindness...I love to be soo rich i could give it all away doing RAK...WOW now THAT would be a job!!!Making peoples lives change...Though you do hear about people who win lotto and then their lives get ruined by them changing because of the muns!!!hahahaha...dumb idiots!!

 

[bluedom]

So what did you do with the $100, do you remember? (I'm genuinely curious to see if you went and bought more dope or if that lead to some behaviour modification or what. I'm *not being judgemental at all* so I please hope you take it in that spirit.)

i think it was very cool. now don't make it into something bad by stressing out about it!

once i gave a homeless guy a $20 by accident! he said wow you sure are generous and i thought he was being sarcastic since i thought i gave him a $1.00 lol

when i got to the store i didn't have enough money to get what i went for! i figured i did a good thing

eta: once years ago when my rat was strung out on dope she was sitting in a roadside rest room feeling sick and waiting to feel a bit better before going back to the car.

a lady walked in used the bath room and when she left she slipped me a hundred dollar bill! this totally and completely made my day! i still remember this act of kindness and it has been over 15 years ago!

 

[bluedom]

You did the right thing. I would've done this and I would've done this even if I knew it would go back to the casino. That's the "worst case" scenario. Best case she uses it constructively. These kinds of actions can have an impact far beyond the immediate moment.

I was just at 9am ish playing on the poker machines at my local...The lady sitting next to me was jamming the cash through her machine to no avail...I won $3600...She said i was very lucky and walked out!..I left 5 mins later with a cheque and some cash....I saw her sitting in her car crying....I tapped on the car window and she wound it down...

I handed her 4 x $50 notes and told her to take it and go home and not to put it in the poker machines...SHe promised she wouldnt, I mean it makes no difference to me..If she wants to lie to me, then go for it....But is what i did bad? Will it just encourage her do you think? No-one ever did anything like that to me before and im an easy come easy go person...Walked in club with $50, walk out with alot of money after i give $200 away....Im still way way happy and i feel like i gave the lady a second chance for the day....
Ive gambled a few times over the years and lost all my muns and felt really down about it, so i know how she felt....

I mean i might have saved her or given her ammunition to go play more, who knows....

Would any other dark siders have done this? OR do you think i did more harm than good....

 

[Miss Kirsty]

That was exactly my thought bluedom..A small thing coulda just given her a wee bit of faith in humanity...Thanks guys I feel good now! Love to hear any other RAoK going on!

 

[Captain Brewster]

That's something my GF would do, worries more about complete strangers than herself.

I think it's a good thing that you have done. I probably wouldn't bring myself to doing that, I'd just think it over too much and decide that something bad would come of it.

Ratgirldjh: I'm reporting you to the RSPC(insert country abreaveation) for abusing your rat, your not qualified for 'doping' him/her up.

 

[Aussie75]

I've always been pretty generous like that, and its never done me any harm. If a small financial impact on you can substantially (potentially that is) help someones dire circumstance then yup you did the right thing.

When I've done similar things it sometimes ends with me losing faith in humanity. Where I work I have the ability to provide refunds on customer accounts on compassionate grounds up to $200.00 or to simply provide a temporary overdraft on the account for them till they get paid. Sometimes it ends well, you can see their next few transactions are actually buying food, or going to the chemist to get medicine for their baby. Other times they use the whole $50 in one case at a cigarette/tobacco store that DOES NOT sell food, despite their pleadings that they haven't eaten in 24hrs and were desperate.

You can only do what you can to provide the tools for someone to help themselves, whether they abuse that is in their hands, the point is you gave them an opportunity to change whatever was upsetting them. If they choose to promptly return to their nightmare and repeat their error, sad, but it happens.

 

[Miss Kirsty]

Thanks Aussie75...I know what you are saying about the lack of faith some people have in humanity..I personally dont care what people do with their money, but when they have children its a different story..I see so many people put their children last, and make them miss out on fun stuff because they need $250 a week for grog and smokes...

I remember a few years ago when we had cyclone Larry and bananas went from $1.99 akg to $22.99 a kilo where i lived....Now at the time they were my daughters fav fruit....A lady stopped me in the supermarket one day and said..."wow, you must be rich!"...."why is that?" i replied.."you can afford bananas" was the reply....I thought to my self, why would i not buy them for my child, when i can spend $15 a day on woodstock burbon!! Surley the burbon would go before the bananas?...Well in my life anyway...

Im not a perfect person by any means..BUT i know whats right and wrong, and i treat others they way i want to be treated...Im polite, kind and conciderate with alot of empathy and compassion..Treat others as you would have them treat you...Do unto others...thats my moto...And i have lived by it for at least 5 years fully now..

I know if a person walked up to me when i was crying and handed me money, i would be blown away and use the money for something good just to honour the person who gave it to me...Possibly even pass some on to another who is less fortunate...

I am getting into trouble with my OH for being this way....He thinks i get taken advantage of left right and centre but what he dosent get is thats what it might look like to others, but i never do anything that i dont want to do...I dont get pressured into anything...I do it of my own free will..Well i hope it made her day!

Thanks for the positive feedback Darkies...You guys are the best!!

 

[ihatepipes]

I was just at 9am ish playing on the poker machines at my local...The lady sitting next to me was jamming the cash through her machine to no avail...I won $3600...She said i was very lucky and walked out!..I left 5 mins later with a cheque and some cash....I saw her sitting in her car crying....I tapped on the car window and she wound it down...

I handed her 4 x $50 notes and told her to take it and go home and not to put it in the poker machines...SHe promised she wouldnt, I mean it makes no difference to me..If she wants to lie to me, then go for it....But is what i did bad? Will it just encourage her do you think? No-one ever did anything like that to me before and im an easy come easy go person...Walked in club with $50, walk out with alot of money after i give $200 away....Im still way way happy and i feel like i gave the lady a second chance for the day....
Ive gambled a few times over the years and lost all my muns and felt really down about it, so i know how she felt....

I mean i might have saved her or given her ammunition to go play more, who knows....

Would any other dark siders have done this? OR do you think i did more harm than good....

Congratulations on doing something nice for a random person. Don't worry about what she did with the money, honestly it became irrelevant once you gave it to her.

What you should do iss be proud that you acted compassionately tonight... Fuk everything else!!!

 

[herbavore]

When we first moved into our neighborhood when my kids were very young, my husband had a major heart attack and almost died. He was the only one with a real income at the time because I worked part time and stayed home with my kids. I was so stressed about everything--my husbands health, getting behind on bills, trying to be strong and happy for my kids, the extra work, etc. I went out to get the mail one day and there was one envelope with no stamp or return address on it. I opened it and inside was $200.00! It must have been a neighbor because they had to have watched to put it in after the mail came so I would be sure to get it. I have now lived here over 20 years and I still don't know who that kind person was; they wanted no thanks or recognition.

I think that what you did was wonderful, Miss Kirsty and coming from you doesn't surprise me one bit--you have a big heart!

 

[Miss Kirsty]

Awww...Thanks herbavore. When something good happens to you, i think its important to keep the chain going so to speak...I love spreading hope...It makes me warm, just the same way drugs used to....

 

[Groundhog]

You did the biggest thing that one person can do for another human being, you showed compassion and love by giving her that money regardless with what she then did with it. Even an act as helping to carry someones shopping or anything similar, as insignificant as it may seem, can have a huge impact in restoring someone's faith in humanity. In the sometimes cold world we live in, acts like these are so important, even a kind compliment cost's nothing but could be the first time that, that person has ever heard something nice said to them.
The other great thing about doing things like this is the good side effect it has on yourself that you have helped in some way, although that should't be the reason that you do help just to make yourself feel good, just a nice side effect from an act of selflesness and compassion for others.
Many people won't give money to the homeless as they think that all they'll do is use it to buy alcohol, drugs etc. To me that doesn't matter, if they are an addict in someway or another, just by not giving them the money isn't going to cure that addiction there and then, they'll find the money somehow, and its better to give it to them instead of them stealing it to get whatever fix they are after.
Spread the love and you will find that it will return back to you too. You never know when you might be the one in need of someone's help.

 

[footscrazy]

I agree that it doesn't matter what she does with the money, I don't think that's the point. I think you did a good thing.

I used to go to drug meetings/counselling sessions when I was an icehead; I always used to walk past a guy begging outside the station. I always thought about giving him $100 once I'd quit - an amount I'd easily spend a day on my addiction. I was going to put in an envelope and write that I didn't care if he got high on it, and that it was what I'd spend every day to buy drugs, but that I'm clean now, so I can give it away now. I never stopped using whilst I was visiting that place though, so I never did it.

Another time I walked past a guy begging for money in the streets; I walked past him like everyone else did, but something in his demeanor got to me. Once I was past him I looked in my wallet for what coins I had, I didn't have any b ut I had a $20 note. I thought fuck it, and gave it to him, and I still remember that moment. He grabbed my hands and thanked me, and said 'god bless you' while looking right at me, and he really meant it and it meant something to him, and I'm so glad I did it, no matter what he spent it on.

 

[Bostonguy9]

i wish i was that stranger

 

[harlans]

i don't think you did anything wrong. i've given out money along similar lines. i always give homeless people money if i have it. i'm an alcoholic and during my time of sobriety i learned a lot. I came to the conclusion that if my donation goes to drugs or booze I'm fine with that. It'll either get them that much closer to hitting the bottom that will turn their life around, or it'll let them die using something they love (the weird, false, misguided love of an intoxicating substance). I know it's not quite the same as a gambling addiction, but i think the similarities are strong enough for this post to have, hopefully, contributed something helpful.