[Ed note: Several weeks back, a reader, Anne Leache, wrote in and said she had reached out to a local homeless woman in front of QFC, and was interested in sharing the story she had heard. We of course welcomed the story. As Anne dug in, though, things became more complex. This is her story.]
As a Wallingford resident, avid walker, and business patron, I pass through the Wallingford Ave. and 45th intersection on a regular basis. For two years, I have seen the same young, blond homeless woman sitting or standing outside of the QFC hoping for a handout. She always has a gentle smile and despondent sadness in her eye. I have always wanted to help her, but I never knew how. Finally, I decided to simply pray for her. A few weeks later, I walked by and introduced myself and my children and learned that her name is Adrian.
During a conversation with several of my girlfriends at the Grizzled Wizard two weeks ago, Adrian’s situation was mentioned with the question of why we don’t do anything to help the people right in front of us, when we are often donating to others around the world. That simple statement gave me the courage to find a way to help Adrian. That night I went to bed and was awakened at four in the morning with the thought, “Hey, I can get her story, find out what she needs, put it on the Wallyhood blog, and our awesome neighbors can work together to help her out.”
The next morning I was jazzed up and ready to go! I had a plan! With a skip in my step, I got up to the QFC, and there she was. I was excited to tell her my idea, and I saw her face brighten as I did. She asked what would happen if there were negative comments, and I thought, “Why would there be negative comments? People in this neighborhood want to help. If they know why you are here, and what you need, they will rally behind you.”
It didn’t take long, and I talked her into sharing her story. Over the next week, we spoke daily, and she shared her life and history with me. She also wrote her story out. It is a tragic litany of divorced parents, her father getting killed in a motorcycle accident, her mother turning her away after her father’s death, her father’s retirement money being signed over to his girlfriend, with nothing left for Adrian. With her last two dollars she ended up on a bus and got off in Wallingford because she was afraid to go downtown. That was two years ago, and she has been here ever since. The hopeful part of her story was that she has housing starting May 13th in a shelter on Aurora.
I got so caught up in her life, it was all I could talk about with my friends. I told them the tragedy and the horrors of sleeping on the streets, of being turned away from coffee shops and false accusations made by store clerks. I had the final version ready to submit to the awesome Wallyhood people on Sunday night, and I imagined the positive feedback she would get as soon as it hit the street.
I was so excited about it, I couldn’t stop relating every detail to my girlfriend Jennifer at dinner Sunday night. Our kids were entertaining each other, our husbands were out and about, and we had that rare and cherished time to talk. After I gave her all of the minutia, Jennifer, in her kind and gentle way said, “Have you done a background check on her?” Well…. no, of course not. I trust her. “Well it would make your story more credible if you had some proof to back it up.” By the way, Jennifer is a reporter on NPR and a very smart and awesome lady! I totally agreed thinking, “Yeah, that is a great idea. Adrian will love it!” I didn’t know her last name, but we could call the shelter and make sure she was scheduled to move in. As I was putting the dishes in the washer, Jennifer got the computer and in no time, we had the number to her upcoming home on the classy 99.
After three rings, a man answered the phone. I briefly told him what I was doing, and he was happy to check his registrar. Then he asked the name again. Finally he said, “I am sorry, but I don’t have an Adrian on my wait list.” WHAT????
I left my kids with Jennifer and quite nearly RAN to the QFC. Fortunately she lives a five minute walk away. Adrian wasn’t there, but another man was sitting in her spot, so I asked him if he knew where I could find her. I have learned the panhandlers know each other and each other’s stories and are often quite loquacious. John fit the stereotype and was very affable and informed. He knew Adrian, and without my asking another question, he told me more than I ever wanted to know, and the real tragic story came out.
I did a little more investigating, and learned that there are a plethora of homeless shelters for women in Seattle. There is no reason for a woman to be homeless, especially for two years, and most likely, Adrian isn’t homeless. She has a boyfriend (an attractive and friendly young man with a blue and white baseball cap. I had the fortune to meet him several days later as he was filling out job applications on the curb while Adrian was in the bathroom), and apparently, she lives with him.
The frustrated manager of the QFC told me that he sees her getting dropped off in a car with her bags at the store early in the morning. He has done everything he can to diffuse the situation, but the police can’t do anything as long as she is on public property. John told me how wonderful the neighbors of Wallingford are, and that it is easy to average $100 a day, just sitting around with a sign. He also told me that in the house where he lives just behind the QFC, there are several rooms for rent for $310 a month – just $10 a day, an easy score for a panhandler in our neighborhood.
So where does Adrian’s money go? Word on the street is smoking the big H. Heroin. When I gently confronted her the next day with the information that I had uncovered, she denied it all, but when I asked her to prove to me that what she was saying was true, she refused. I explained to her that if I was going to tell her story and take a stand for her, my reputation was on the line, and I needed proof. She was unwilling to assist. I offered for her to take a drug test to corroborate her story, and she said that was too personal. She also vehemently denied having a boyfriend, and insisted she had a place to live lined-up and would be off the Wallingford streets as of May 13th.
As we were conversing, a young meticulously dressed and adorned man in his late teens or early twenties walked up and was standing next to the dumpster waiting for Adrian and the other seemingly homeless man she was with. I walked away. An exchange took place between the three people I left behind. I returned to Jennifer who was across the street watching my kids. As I was filling her in on the conversation, the two men that had momentarily been with Adrian left in different directions. I can’t say with certainty what happened because I wasn’t close enough to hear or see the details, but my newly opened eyes and jaded heart suspect that John and the store clerks are right; drugs are being dealt and used in our neighborhood, just outside the store where I buy milk for my family.
As I reflect back on the situation, I feel naive and disappointed. I have always been one of those people who wants to help save the world, and I felt sorry for the jaded older generations who smirked or shook their heads at my antics. I want to continue to see the world as a hopeful place, but as my vision clears, I understand the sage wisdom of age more and more. I would love to help Adrian off the streets and see her fulfill her dream of delivering babies, but until she is ready to take the initiative, the only thing I can do is exactly what I started with… offer a smile, a prayer, and keep my money in my pocket.
(Photo by Curtis Cronn)
great story.
congrats on doing your due diligence. I like to believe that homeless folk truly are homeless due to bad luck etc. but in most cases that just not true. I always offer to get them a burger at dicks (never cash!) and I’ve been declined 100% of the time…that right there says a lot.
Thank you for sharing your experience. This is a difficult story to tell but the information is really valuable to everyone thinking about helping others. There are days that I feel bad for not stopping to help the familiar faces in front of QFC. However, there are plenty of legitimate organizations that help those in need (Solid Ground is just down the street and has a great reputation!)
Check out a recent thread in the forum that likely references Adrian:
http://www.wallyhood.org/wallyhood-forums/topic/qfc-panhandlers/
Powerful story. Great work by both Anne & Jennifer. Thanks for sharing your experience with us all.
You should consider submitting this to This American Life. I’d love to hear the full story.
Yes, I know. She is scamming all of us. She is implicated in drug sales.. and theft in parking lot.
We let her stay.
STEP up Wallingford and tak eaction to help her mov eon.
There are some very serious accusations here based on nothing but hearsay and a questionable eyewitness account. Also, I find it odd that a person with much to hide would be willing to share her life story on a blog.
I am with Doug on this. “Outing” this person might embolden those who are uncomfortable with street people, but how does this “story” deepen our humanity? Who is shocked at the “revelations”? Go gently, neighbors.
Thank you for getting to know some people most of us often just walk by. I get the impression you treated everyone you met with dignity and respect and told it here that way as well. You are a wonderful neighbor to have.
The poor girl isn’t in a good place whichever story is true, but it’s good to know when money will help and when it will hurt.
yoyo, are you suggesting we help this women improve her life or are you simply suggesting we work to simply move her out of Wallingford?
I hope it’s the former, I’m sorry if I misinterpret your good intentions. I’m like to hear your ideas.
If you simply want to move her on, I suggest you are making a mistake. I love the small town feel of Wallingford. Part of this feel is the mixture of people of different economic and social position we meet day to day. If such diversity is not something you appreciate perhaps instead of suggesting that other people move out, you consider if less diverse suburb may suit you better.
Anne, the diversity of the Wallingford is strengthened when individuals play multiple roles; it’s cool that you are both a mom and a part-time investigative journalist. Thank you for your story.
The way I read it, the life story she was willing to share was presumably fabricated.
If the subject of this article were simply a homeless person encountered in Wallingford, then the article would be the moral equivalent of digging up dirt on your Wallingford neighbors and publishing it here. What I think is different is that she begs, asks for financial support from the community, and there’s at least an implicit story behind this, the sad eyes, living on the street etc. If she actually has a comfortable place to live and a nice boyfriend, this is fraud or something like it, and it is in a way our business. I suppose the worst injured parties may be the truly homeless and desperate, for whom the well of human kindness is regularly poisoned by this kind of scam.
Help her to find another place to play her fraud filled sorry for me begging game. Is that more clear?
There are plenty of local organizations out there willing to help homeless and hungry people. People who are persistent panhandlers are just scammers. This is not really a new story but I am glad you shared it if it was surprising to you.
First of all, let me just say I’m shocked, shocked! hear that a so-called “homeless” person is F.O.S. This is why I stopped giving them money a long time ago, and I don’t even waste my time trying to give them food they turn down.
Furthermore, Baltimore, in post # 10, you said, referring to Adrian (or whatever her name is), “Part of this feel is the mixture of people of different economic and social position we meet day to day. If such diversity is not something you appreciate…..”
Now, normally the word “diversity” has a positive feel to it. So I have to ask: Is it right to include in that characterization a chronic liar, scam artist, and drug addict who is leeching money tax free off of our more gullible neighbors?
If that’s “diversity,” I want no part of it. Wallingford is better off without her and her vagrant, drug dealer friends.
Thank you Hayduke.
She is scamming many who shop at QFC.
And from ‘our’ generosity makes taxfree money- more than many.
STOP the SCAM
Very interesting. When “Adrian” first appeared in front of the QFC she had a sign claiming that she was unemployed and needed help for her young children. This was more than a couple of years ago. I wondered if that was ever true or a ploy to tug at heart strings. I suspect my question has been answered.
hayduke, the chronic liars, scam artists, and drug addicts all add to the variety which makes the neighborhood interesting. They provide adults with contrasts to think about their own lives, opportunities for kindness and anti-role models for lessons with our children. If everyone appeared perfect we would be called Bellevue, not Seattle.
This “story” seems more like a yarn to me – or a senior class project: “Word on the street…” ” my newly opened eyes and jaded heart” and so on and so forth. Honestly!
Thank goodness for walkinroun’s thoughts, and for Liz’s point that “this poor girl isn’t in a good spot whichever story is true.” I also appreciate Baltimore’s perspectives. I cringe at the thought of other commenters rifling through their garages right now for the torches and pitchforks.
The overall tone of the article made me uncomfortable, in contrast. A bit too righteous and self-congratulatory. Just my opinion, though.
Dang, so Bellevue is really perfect? All this time I thought it was a glossy veneer over a putrid festering sore!
I think it’s a disservice to the usual notion of diversity, to include scam artists. It’s like feeding bears at the dump and calling it wildlife diversity. A community is more than just a number of physically colocated people – and less, because many of those people don’t belong in it, including scammers.
(P.S. Agreed, walkinroun, on the last point as well.)
this is such a sad blog post to read. so much privilege. thank goodness you uncovered this troubled woman’s REAL story, which is full of nothing but rainbows and unicorns! and of COURSE she could be in a shelter for at least two years, which is, as you all know, the best housing available in seattle. i mean, you only turn that opportunity down if you are a BAD person. she sounds like a troubled girl trying to get by and your “outting” her for the terrible person she really is just shows another reason why i left seattle. god forbid anyone not be rich, white, and educated. i mean, she could get a job clerking in that QFC and then have to commute from tukwila for housing. (because yeah, i know tons of $300 rooms for rent in wallingford and that panhandling gentleman’s info is absolutely spot on because he was affable!). i hope you are proud of yourself for what you taught your kids – be nice to people until you find out that they’re not perfect!
former neighbor, well said.
Donn, who are we to decide who belongs? Her contribution to the community may be far more positive than you realize.
I didn’t mean to propose that anyone ought to be excluded from the geographical area. I’m not deciding she or anyone belongs or does not belong to the community in the sense I mean; if she’s scamming people, she has decided she doesn’t belong. I believe it’s possible to have compassion for people and yet recognize that in some cases the choices they make don’t deserve our support. I don’t blame bears for wanting to eat, but I don’t feed them.
More additional hearsay but I have heard she has been caught and banned from the Chevron on 45th for shooting up Heroin in the bathroom. Perhaps someone could check with them to verify.
People you are being scammed. There is no question about this.
Dear Former Neighbor,
Ouch. That hurts. I continue to be nice to Adrian when I see her, and Lord knows, I am not even close to being perfect. I initially started this project to help her, and I would still love the opportunity to find a way to do that. When I found out so much more than I have even written here, I realized that until she is ready to change, there is not much more I can do than continue to be kind to her and pray for her. That is what I do, and that is what I teach my children.
I wish you the best in your new city.
Anne
I applaud Anne for going out of her way to help someone.
One thing I’ve found that seems effective is to support the Real Change street newspaper (both the vendors and the organization). Real Change provides a dignified way for folks living in poverty to earn some money and they do a lot of great anti-poverty work around the city.
Plus, I learn something every time I read Real Change.
Thanks Anne for sharing your story! I’m proud of you for taking action.
I agree with Matt. Whenever I have spare dollars and change I feel compelled to help those outside the QFC and PCC. In light of this article, I think the compassionate thing to do is smile and acknowledge each persons presence, but give donations and volunteer efforts to Real Change or as someone pointed out – the local Solid Ground.
Thank you Anne for what I found to be a well-written story. I appreciate your efforts to help our Wallingford community and for sharing your knowledge with those reading this blog so we can all be more educated.
Dear Editor:
This is more unverified amateur journalism that has serious libel danger all over it. Have you not learned anything from your “Amazon Fresh” story debacle? Just because you are a blog and not a professional journalism outlet does not mean you aren’t held to the same laws.
–Mark
There’s another woman with a persistent (and false) story in the ‘hood. Have you seen the tall-ish brunette? Her typical story goes like this: “I ran out of gas and I’m late for a job interview” or “I’m late picking up my daughter and I have no money for gas” – She has been hitting people up for about six months. She’s looking a little more wild eyed and frenetic of late, she is wearing her choices on her face.
Hey, Mark, you might want to put the brakes on the legal/libel stuff you’re throwing out there. This blog is a valuable asset to our community and clearly isn’t remotely related to a libelous rag like The Enquirer (if that still exists?).Sheesh! Anne tried to do a good thing and discovered some entirely believable things about the woman she wanted to help, then she shared the story with us, her neighbors. I think we all realize there are a bunch of supposedly homeless scammers out there and we seem to have an inordinate number of them here in Wallingford. If you choose to help them with money, knowing it will likely go to buy drugs or booze, that’s your choice and you shouldn’t be criticized for trying to help someone. Maybe a better choice would be to buy them food and at least you’ll know they might have at least one meal that day. But excoriating Anne for reporting her experience is kind of a knucklehead move, don’cha think?
To be clear, I’m with the folks who don’t need to have that “diversity” experience if it includes the homeless drug addicts and drunks, but I’m in the part of Wallingford that has had to suffer the onslaught of the street drunks and all their attendant disgusting behavior, so I’m not terribly neutral on the subject 🙂 Good on you, Anne, for trying to do a nice thing.
Lisa, if Adrian got a lawyer she could sue the writer, the editor and the blog for a lot of money and all involved could get hurt — because she is being accused, and the writer, the editor and the blog have no proof of the accuracy of the accusations. Then you would have no blog. Is that what you want? I have nothing against Anne–it’s the editor who has the responsibility to comply with the law and protect the blog, or invite negative consequences.
You can’t just say bad things about someone in print without incurring responsibility for truth. That’s the law. Ignoring the law is kind of a knucklehead move, don’t you think?
I don’t understand why people are saying Adrian is “scamming” folks. The woman looking for gas money is scamming. Adrian is just begging. She may not have told the whole truth to Anne, but she didn’t lie to get money from Anne. Sure, you may dislike having a regular panhandler (and possible drug customer) at the supermarket, but who has been “scammed”? She never guaranteed being clean and sober, homeless or anything but hard up enough to beg for change. If she isn’t pathetic enough for you, don’t give money. But there’s no “scamming” affront.
And it matters because saying you’ve been “scammed” makes you a victim, so you can feel wronged. Otherwise, you’re just a witness to someone’s mess of a life, with or without drugs or a temporary roof over her head.
Actually, Mark, I don’t believe it could come to the conclusion you are outlining. Anne is merely reporting what could be viewed as her opinion. There are free speech rights in this country, yes? Or else the KKK couldn’t get permits to parade in Skokie, Illinois. It’s disheartening to hear all this folderol being stirred up on this subject and it descending into fear of possible legal retribution for merely sharing an experience in print on a simple community blog. So does this mean all that I’ve written on this blog about the super annoying street drunks in my area should have me quaking in my boots that one of them might take exception to me labeling them a “drunk”, hire a pro bono attorney and sue me AND Wallyhood? Oh brother…
After reading this article, I have to share my observations. I moved to Wallingford two years ago, from another neighborhood, but I have been working in Bellevue for the past 6 years. And when I started shopping at QFC I noticed a familar face, for I remembered “Adrian” from when she was begging down the street from my office. Specifically I used to see her about 3 years ago in front of the Argo at 116th and 8th with a sign that said something about her needing money for her young children. She was there for about 6-9 months before I started seeing her in Wallingford. So something to think about.
Thank you for sharing your story and experience regarding “Adrian”.
As lifelong Wallingford resident I am happy, and generally don’t mind helping out street folks.
However I have had several similar interactions with “Adrian” in the past 2 months that left me feeling used like a wallet-with-legs.
Twice within 2 weeks “Adrian” pleaded her case once with my wife and once with me for bus money to get to Ballard and then Edmonds. Each time she was still out in front of QFC applying her “mope-a-dope” con after her stated urgency for bus fare.
And last month I got the “I need $20 to get a copy of my birth certificate so I can move into the Aloha Inn on Aurora”… bla, bla, bla. I also called the Aloha Inn but got no answer. Of course I find it curious in retrospect that if “Adrian” did find residence why would she still be toting her bindle?
I have seen “Adrian” with her boyfriend and another woman “street person” driving around. He seems to be acting as a pimp of beggars?!
I truly want the best for anyone in any situation. I don’t even mind the occasional little white lie, but to be played for a fool by a malingering street hustler, shame on me and double shame on “Adrian” for blithely burning her bridges as she has.
Both the Chevron gas station and Dick’s hire routinely, and at Dick’s you get health insurance if you work a minimum of 25 hours a week!
“Adrian” has seen my last act of generosity.
weill, I have made my thoughts about her clear. However, getting hired at Dicks is not so easy.
A QFC/Starbucks employee let me know customers purchase multiple peppermint mochas a day for Adrian. She also echoed much of what was said here re drugs, the boyfriend she lives with, getting dropped off with bags in the morning. Adrian has used a few stories with me as well. One day (prior to multiple stories) I asked her if I could get her anything in Bartells (rather than giving her money). She wanted cashews and strawberry milk. They didn’t have either when I went in…she gave me something along the lines of indifference/attitude when I asked if there was something else I could get her. That was my last experience offering to pick something up for her and then i heard the starbucks employees comments and i decided that was it for me. I do feel for her. As others have said, the situation she is in can’t be good regardless of the true story. I do support others selling real change. I have a relationship with Al who usually is outside Bartells. If I see him I pick up his favorites from the deli at QFC and chat with him for a few minutes. My 2.5 year old knows his name and says, “hi Al!” when we walk by. I feel Al adds to neighborhood diversity. He doesnt offer a sad story or hold a sign. He strikes me as a shy and will smile when we walk by and talk to him. I don’t know what Al does when he’s not selling real change (other than follow the Red Sox :-)), but i sense he has a good heart and I just like him so I want to help. Adrian falls in a different category for me. I wish her the best but admit I’m frustrated when I see her parked outside QFC every time I walk by.
Anne, thanks for writing this piece. And for stopping to talk with Adrian. My young daughter loves her. Everytime we see her, my daughter drags me into QFC to buy her a sandwich and an apple.
Normally, I prefer to give money to FamilyWorks (which maanges the Wallingford Food Bank, not Solid Ground BTW), because then I know my dollars are going to providing sustenance to a person in need. However, I feel it is really important for my daughter to see the humanity in another person, no matter what their story is, and to respond appropriately. Buying her a sandwich is an easy thing to do. And it gives my daughter a chance to practice kindess towards a stranger.
A long time ago, I worked in a homeless shelter. One of the things that my clients needed the most was to be recognized as human beings. To have soemone look them in the eye. Ask their name. Smile at them. Acknowledge them as a person, not a national embarassment or a potential scammer or a piece of dirt. I think we all can do that.
Well said Kimberly!!! Thank you!
After having worked as a church secretary for 16 years, I could have predicted the outcome of her research into the true story. Aside from mental illness, the main reason people are on the street is alcohol/drug addiction.
It’s better to give to an organization experienced with helping the homeless. Salvation Army is an excellent choice- they have been at it for over 100 years.
I have spoken to this woman as well. Don’t know what to say about her story as I haven’t researched it, yet wanted to make a comment about homelessness in Wallingford. I am a master level middle aged woman with an excellent resume who in 24 hours a few months ago, went from a “normal” life to homelessness. I would be currently on the streets if not for the kindness of one friend, yet I am reminded daily of my need to find a job which I seek 17 hours each day. I had a modest job outside of my usual venue, which discriminates on the basis of age and as I have grown older, my job ops have fallen off. I have no living family left.
The modest job was lovely except for a highly abusive person. On the small team, it was not possible to avoid the daily hours of verbal, physical (yes, at work, physical groping, pushing, etc.) and written abuse in our daily log. Management was afraid of her and I finally just gave up thinking I could find another job. 24 hours after I left, I was informed by my landlord that I had 20 days to find another place (after years there, no issues) because my studio was the cheapest in her parceled home, and that her brother had had a stroke and she was moving him in. I didn’t have enough in savings to find a place and temp stay after temp stay folded, 19 tries in all.
I had a standing invitation from an old friend who lives abroad, to come and stay at his parents place in another state if I needed something. Since I had exhausted all attempts, and didn’t have a job offer (9 interviews, no offer, I am in my 50s, no criminal background, no issues, just needing an income), I took a bus there. For 30 days I was sexually, physically and verbally abused in a tiny town with no bus or cab service. I had to literally escape by advertising on Craigslist for a rideshare which after 4 failed attempts and 3 weeks, yielded a normal young man who came and picked me up, literally running out of the house with my bags. He said later he say the horror on my face and knew that we had to leave immediately and fast.
I prevailed on a friend who isn’t comfortable with my staying on his couch but his decency permits me some time while I seek a job that will sustain rent. I also have appealed to Harborview for their sexual and trauma program and will visit them later this month. It will take me a lifetime to recover from the events in that small town, and yes, I appealed to social services, neighbors, churches, etc. and since they all regarded this couple as normal (not the illegal drug taking, drug manufacturing, porn watching, predation to women (both of them) that they practice), there was nothing availed to me except to be told to “pray.”
When I contacted the son abroad to even hint at this experience, I was overwhelmed with massive calls and texts from that abusive couple and their relatives in that small town until I threatened the police and legal action. I will pursue this with the help of Harborview.
What I am trying to say, is that many of us who have exhausted their savings accounts in recent years due to a challenging economy and dwindling job opportunities for an aging workforce, face homelessness all the time when an income stops. And abusive employers know this and take advantage. The survivor in me made it away from those monsters, yet when I see homeless women on the street I always ask them how they are doing because currently I have not home. With 23 years of education, no drug or alcohol issues, no criminal history of any kind, and an excellent resume. I am regarded as a non person because I am over 50. I called every single women’s and co-ed shelter in Seattle and they are not only 100% filled, and the ones that offer actual rooms, have waitlists of over one year, and the communal offerings are extremely dangerous – assault and having what bags you bring stolen, are frequent.
Being homeless can happen to people with regular lives, when there is no family about. I loved my home and planned to stay there forever but out of the blue I was told to go. And with no family and no friends with room (or interest) in assisting, I was lured down a path that it will take the rest of my life to recover from. I seek work daily, as do millions of others but if there are not jobs offers for we who are mature, what is the option other than being forced onto the street.
I didn’t know about her background, or that it is a scam. Just have a sympathy for people who are out there. I will be myself if my friend changes his mind, before I am able to generate another income. Wallingford has been my home for 17 years and twice, I have been asked to leave a long standing residence twice in Wallingford, once after 10 years and most recently, after 3, for a blood relative to move in. Something that is legal in Seattle. These changes are sudden so there is no time to prep, etc. So, I fell through the cracks and am down to a few dollars and the kindness of others.
When I am working and independent, these matters don’t come to mind. I hope I will not have to be on the streets at 57, with 23 years of education and 3 careers behind me, because I am considered non-employable.
Thanks for listening –
Susan
I am glad this was published. We are one of the peppermint mocha people. My kids like to do it, as they also like to buy soup for the old bearded man that sits on the same corner. It’s humbling to have so much faith in someone, to think you can really help, only to find out you are being bamboozled.
I appreciate Anne’s spirit throughout the whole process. The lesson I take away from this is that I need to see those around me and talk to them. I may be able to help or I may be “suckered” but my first assignment is to do what Anne did: stop, see, and engage.
Thank you for sharing your findings. For a time I lived in a house across from Meridian Park. A lot of homeless people sleep there and many of them are drug addicts or severe alcoholics.
I never give away my money to panhandlers, I do however buy the Real Change newspaper. Call me jaded, but my radar has almost always been spot on. I also work hard for the money I do have. No matter what our story is, no matter what our circumstances are we do have “free will.” This is my opinion.
BTW, yes, the big H is alive and well in Wallingford and has been for a very long time. I know this from my experience working with teens in the community.
I have seen “Adrian” out front of QFC for a long time. Her sign first said that she needed money for her children but then changed after a month to not having any family ect. I see her early in the morning, red faced, and showing signs of a junkies nod (standing with her sign and swaying, drowsed, mildly coherent, and eyelids drooping). Addicts need to reach bottom before they can see what has become of their life. The only judgement i will make is that there are far worst people roaming around Wallingford.
Susan,
Please contact University Lutheran Church, 525-7074 and ask for contact information for Elizabeth Gregory House. If they are full, the church also provides overnight accommodation for women and a drop in center for women with resources that are open every day. They are located on 16th and 50th in the U District
I am concerned re this ‘story’ of Susan Willis. I saw her identical story in women seeking men section of craigslist.
The Mayors office has much help for older adults seeking jos. Leaving that job entitles on to UI in many cases- thus a stream of income.
The sports stadium hire hundreds of people for part and full time work.. yes, I know you can turn your nose up at it. The school districts hired for substitutes and classified and technical positions. Events- folklife, etc.. have food booths which hire many, as do the event security companies. There is work out there. You can NOT afford to put your nose in the air and/or to allow the victim of the story ” I am over..” to run the show. I worked for all of these and more while attaining my present part time job. I am older.
This is very interesting to me. I have talked to Adrian, gotten her peppermint mochas, gotten her small gift cards at QFC so she can choose her own food, etc. I have always wondered about her and appreciate that someone took the time to actually talk to her at length. I did not feel one way after the first story and another way when I read the second part of the story. I don’t think anyone would sit on the street like she does and ‘beg’ for money who had a perfectly good life otherwise. I hope she does have a nice boyfriend, I hope she does have a place to live starting yesterday, I hope good things happen for her. Whether she is a drug addict or more the person she described herself as in the first interview. I do not want to judge her more harshly after reading anything that I have in the article or in the comments above. I also don’t like thinking that I’ve “been taken”, but Adrian has always been polite, quietly friendly, and grateful for the very small things I have done. I do not feel more used after reading any of this.
Not sure if anyone cares, but Wallyhood can’t be sued for anything that anyone posts here. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides any ISP (very broadly defined) immunity from prosecution from a tort by a third party poster. In a well known case, AOL escaped prosecution for a statement made by Matt Drudge on the Drudge Report on AOL and he was an employee. Not to mention, it’s only libel if the writer knew or should have known that it was false. Since a number of statements here are based on what was actually said to people, it’s hard to see if the statements were false, how anyone would have known or should have known that. In fact all evidence points to the contrary.
Grow up, people. So someone wasn’t completely straight with you. As if you’ve never been lied to by richer people also? Do you really think “lazy poor” people have a monopoly on deception? Is it worse to tell white lies to deal with an addiction or to get off the street, as opposed to making a killing in business or politics? If you want a city without get-rich-scams, move to Disneyland.
Although Dick’s sadly does pay better than most law offices now… For those who think any half-crazed homeless addict on the street could just “cook my food at Dick’s, swipe my credit card, or be a sub teacher in my kids classroom”: This idea indicates that you’ve never worked a real job in your entire life. Reconsider your “available work” theory next time you wonder why good help is so hard to find, or why you have food poisoning.
As well as being stupid, you are inaccurate. To work any job nowadays, you need a perky smile, the ability to lift 50 lbs, a fixed address, a “dependable” car, previous experience, an unblemished credit history, a blameless unbroken work history, and a drug screening. Odds are good that a street person has met with difficulty in at least one of these areas. That is why their career/life path now involves cardboard. (Odds are also good that you will also be turned down sooner or later).
And for those who “helpfully” point the truly needy towards impersonal organizations – You also need to have a state ID, with a 98103 zip code, to get so much as a bag of beans and rice. And since those (wonderful) nonprofits are strained to the breaking point, they still scrutinize you to make sure you’re “poor enough” without being too crazy, or foreign, or homeless. (Ever tried carrying a weeks worth of breakfast/lunch/dinner on your back, cooking a meal without running water or a kitchen, and eating the leftovers without a fridge or a dry roof to lock them under? This is why you see the homeless eating “convenience” food.)
At the very least, even “beggars” or “scammers” – real or imagined – stand outside “every day” – all day – being stared at, derided, in hot sun, in cold rain, in the exhaust of your car. I can tell you haven’t done that kind of job either – even standing legitimately in front of the QFC in public for six hours trying to sell Girl Scout cookies can make a person feel desperate, tired, and subhuman.
What if a street person looked in your window and judged how YOU lived? Man up. If you have the money to spare, and if feel like making someone’s day, give. If not, move on.
Yes, I ran my ad looking under platonic, not women for men. i know Paul at the Mayors Office and he was one of the first people I appealed to. He is one of my references and has been for years. He sent me on some referrals that did not pan out. His other colleagues referred me to hotels, which of course cost money. In Seattle, the cheapest dive is 55 dollars a night. For 1/2 day that involves evening hours.
I have never touched a drug in my life and what happened to me is true. It could be your story as well so if you comb the internet as you appear to do, judge not. I have not ever been without shelter before and it is not from drug abuse but rather from peoples conception that over 50 is too old to work competently.
As for landlords throwing people out so their relatives can move in, it is terribly unfair yet a function of the own’s vs not owns. Money is what prevents most from being on the street.
Wallingford’s geography and demographics make it a very attractive destination for people begging for money.
Geography – In case you forgot, we are wedged between 2 main N/S transit corridors in 99 and I5 making it easy for transients to access our beloved Wally.
Demographics – Despite earlier mentions of ‘diversity’, Wallingford is overwhelmingly full of white liberal people with money. White liberal people with money LOVE to be ethical.
A misunderstanding of what homelessness is is at the base of this story. As mentioned earlier, drug/alcohol addiction and mental illness are the causes of people being on the streets begging for money.
Acknowledging their presence, as already mentioned, is a basic human need and we should all do it.
Regarding landlords who render people homeless as I was. I rented for one entire decade from Helen E, at the corner of N 51st and Meridian. Never late for one minute on rent. When Helen’s husband died in their bathroom from a heart attack, she went insane and broke into my apartment (10th year of living there) 8 times, each of which was while I was in the tub. I appealed to Solid Ground for tenant help and was given this advise: “call the police and have her arrested the next time she breaks in..”. Needless to say, this didn’t work. She was chased daily (as were we, her paying tenants) by bill collectors as it appeared that she hired contractors to do work on the building, then didn’t pay them. They crawled over the place for one year.
Helen broke into my apartment 8 times, when she heard the water running in the tub (no shower). She called the fire department after taking a class about emergency planning, and interpreted my taking a bath as an emergency. She apologized the first time, then just kept doing it. The fire department looked horrified to be involved in her game and left, but once again, I had to be naked in front of them. She had my phone number for years but didn’t knock or call, she just let them in, for her jollies. At the time I was the only female renter in the building.
When I told her I would sue if she broke in again, she told me I was not allowed to sue. The landlord tenant people were enraged and wanted her arrested. Hard to do when one is living there with her in the adjoining apartment.
So, I left and this was after there was no stove (broken), no fridge (broken), no range (broken) in the apartment. Even though WA and Seattle law dictate that all these be provided within 24 hours of lack of service, Helen took 7 months to replace these. She wanted a color match to the 1940s utilities. She had ordered them and I had to wait, using a purchased one plate burner to cook.
Helen one day posted a note on my door declaring that her daughter wanted my space. This was in my 10th year of renting. I asked the other males in the building if they had received such a note and they said no, only me. The daughter already had an apartment in the building but wanted the remaining female out. Once out, she fled to Alaska and did not return so it was simply some kind of vendetta.
Helen kept my deposit. Solid Ground walked me through getting away from her. No return on the damage deposit.
Evidentally it is legal to out someone for a relative, even if only for a couple of minutes. Helen is on record with Solid Ground for breaking and entering, and voyeurism.
Please beware from renting from her if you are female. Males, no problem
Thank you for publishing your article. I too became familiar with the same person. I do know she does have a boyfriend, does have a serious drug habit and buys cigarettes for minors. She charges them a dollar or two to do it. I know this because she has bought them for my minor son which I disapprove of. I asked her not to do this anymore however it is still happening. I have also witnessed exchanges of illegal drugs between this person and others. I overheard her ask for a few buck from one of the kids she buys cigarettes for. She told them she was in a really bad way and needed some heroine. I have empathy for people on the streets however I will not give money to someone who is going to buy more drugs that harm themselves it is like giving alcohol to an alcoholic. I know she needs help. I have given her countless names, addresses and phone numbers of organizations who help those who legitimately want to get off the street. Also, there are people who are in dire need who need of food, medicine and other necessary items I would rather my money go there to an organization that has expertise on how to take care of the homeless. I do not like to be lied to, taken advantage of confronted by this person. She is not at all interested in getting help.
I walked by Adrian (I swear she told me her name was Audrey.) for many months before I finally spoke to her. Up until that time, I had never seen her begging, smoking or appearing out of it. I felt sorry for her and helped her out with food and basic toiletries on several occasions. I must say she never seem appreciative, but I figured maybe she was embarrassed or perhaps too depressed to show much emotion. Regardless, after learning that she had worked as a nanny in the past, I asked everyone I knew if they needed someone or knew of someone who needed someone. It didn’t take long before I found someone who was in need. I was excited to share this news with her. Once again, she didn’t seem appreciative nor did she ever call my friend. She walked away from a job that pays – now that is telling! From that moment on, I never helped her again because it was obvious she didn’t want out of the situation and I stopped feeling sorry for her.
It didn’t take long after that when I noticed ‘little deals’ going on, and later, I heard she was a heroin junkie from one of the store clerks. I get that mental illness and drug addiction are diseases and she is a human being, and all the other arguments one might have, but enough is enough. I applaud you for checking her out and uncovering her lies. Now I hope the jig is up and she finds another scam spot.
Well ‘Adrian” was not by QFC yesterday when I went by about 6 PM. I was surprised. Maybe she did get that housing or simply decided to find another spot to begin her story time.
Maybe now another can take her spot.. one who does not do drugs and who has endured harrassment, unemployment, etc… Solid Ground can help us to help someone or maybe Susan would like help.
Um, Susan, why were you forced to be naked in front of the fire dept.? If you were in the tub, didn’t they enquire through the door before breaking it down or something? Maybe I’m not reading your story correctly…
It sounds like she has an addiction problem and needs medical help and counseling to get her out of her QFC rut.
Kellie, I think Adrian is one of the last people I’d like to hire as a nanny. Did you really think someone would hire her? We don’t really know her from Eve and she is currently homeless and possibly a drug addict and might have a mental illness. When you are a nanny, you have access to everything in the house, the car and most importantly, the child. Maybe she didn’t get excited about the prospect of taking care of someone else’s kids (who knows what happened to her own) because she knew it would not pan out. I appreciate your kind heart and thoughts, I just don’t think being a child care provider or working in a fast food restaurant is in her cards at this time.
Also, just because nice peeps buy her multiple mochas a day, I don’t think that is any reason to stop doing it. If it makes both of you feel better, then do it! Life is too short to be dwell on the negative and constantly think the worst of people. Many times, people live up to your expectations. I don’t think Adrian gives off a threatening vibe and she’s not hurting anyone really, except maybe herself.
Bottom line, Adrian is a human being, just like the rest of us. It doesn’t do anyone any good to think of her as anything else.
Beautifully written, Anne.
OK, this defamation approaches the level of sophomore year high school. Everyone doubting their legal responsibilities when accusing someone of crimes, should read this carefully: , especially the part about libel per se, as several people have accused her of selling heroin.
And this is false: “it’s only libel if the writer knew or should have known that it was false.”
Fact: “A private figure claiming defamation—your neighbor, your roommate, the guy who walks his dog by your favorite coffee shop—only has to prove you acted negligently, which is to say that a “reasonable person” would not have published the defamatory statement.”
And evidence in court is not “someone said” or “I know” — it is a blood test, a bindle of drugs, fingerprints, video, etc.
Truth is an absolute defense to a defamation claim. But keep in mind that the truth may be difficult and expensive to prove.
Besides, Kris is right. Those of us who regard ourselves as religious and moral should consider how our religious and moral ideals would act in this situation. What, for instance, would Jesus do? Muhammad? Ghandi? Or are our responses more like darker figures of history?
Giving anything to a junkie is enabling their addiction. This may sound harsh but talk to anyone who deals with addicts and they will tell you this. The only thing that should be given, if you want to help, are directions to Recovery Center of King County (RCKC) at 464 12th Ave #300, Seattle, WA 98122, (206)322-2970, http://www.rckc.org/ . RCKC provides free detox and recovery programs for those in need and I personally know people who have utilized this free service. Stop giving money and food and give her this address and phone number and possibly a bus transfer that isn’t yet expired. If all of you who care for this woman want to help, this is the only way! If this is the collective help she now receives from the throngs who care, there may be a possibility that she will identify having a problem and go to that address. From there she will be able to have medical help and resources to help guide her in recovery and a safe place to stay beyond that. Then it is up to her to change her lifestyle. What do you say peanut gallery! Get out your pen and paper and slip her a note with this address and not a spare buck.
Well, that cut out my last post’s link to the Online Defamation Law page on Electronic Frontier Foundations’s website. Go to eff(dot)org, then on the bottom right under “Projects,” click on “Bloggers’ Rights.” On the next page, in the second paragraph, click on the red text “Legal Guide for Bloggers.” Once there, look in the left-hand column, in red text, under “Legal Liability Issues” for “Online Defamation Law.” Phew! This is the link again, but it’ll prolly be cut again: https://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal
Which in text is: www (dot) eff (dot) org (slash) issues (slash) bloggers (slash) legal <— which is a lot easier than tyoing out all of the above.
Kris — I appreciated your thoughts on the situation so much that I think they deserve to be repeated. Nicely written. Thank you!!!
“Also, just because nice peeps buy her multiple mochas a day, I don’t think that is any reason to stop doing it. If it makes both of you feel better, then do it! Life is too short to be dwell on the negative and constantly think the worst of people. Many times, people live up to your expectations. I don’t think Adrian gives off a threatening vibe and she’s not hurting anyone really, except maybe herself.
Bottom line, Adrian is a human being, just like the rest of us. It doesn’t do anyone any good to think of her as anything else.”
Mark, you’re correct, in Washinton State there is just a negligence standard for falsity. I was quoting the more general tort. However, in Washington State we have a “substantial truth” privilege, so perhaps if she’s using, but not selling, a court would determine that there was substantial truth in the statement as a whole — not sure. It’s a factual determination by the court. Also, she would have to prove damages. Which I guess would be the money that she no longer gets from well-meaning Wallingford denizens. Of course, that’s not all that much — though those Starbucks mochas sure add up. And maybe damage to her reputation from the false statements. Not sure what that’s worth either — probably up to a jury. Either way, Wallyhood would still be immune from prosectution under Section 230 (that’s a very good link that you posted to the EFF — it clearly states that fact) and neither Anne nor Wallyhood would be liable for the comments. This would make a very good law school tort exam.
I see how 230 protects wallyhood, but don’t see how it protects Anne (“neither Anne nor Wallyhood would be liable”)?
(Not that there’s anything to worry about here anyway, but I just want to know where I stand before I do something like write an article about Richard Conlin.)
“Which I guess would be the money that she no longer gets from well-meaning Wallingford denizens”
The courts would probably have to consult tax records for the amounts of income she claimed!
Well, second day in a row Adrian is not there. maybe she did get that new housing.. or maybe this article made her move on.
Regardless, re purchasing her coffee, mochas.. etc.. by doing so out of kindness you and you and all invite her to remain right there- dealing drugs, buying cigarettes for minors, collecting taxfree money for drugs, potentially bring friends who may be associated with the car breakins in that lot. By supporting her, you are supporting illegal activity in a community used area. Please rethink this.
I agree with Yoyo. I do feel for her however she does not want nor will she accept help. I have tried giving her cards and info on help for homelessness, addiction, etc., she throws them to the side. I am tired of her and some of the others buying cigarettes for my minor son and others underage teens and of her asking neighborhood teens for money to buy heroine because she is starting to have the shakes. Also, the fights that occur between she and others. I have witnessed them. Sometimes it is because the others are angry that she makes more money. Please stop giving her money. If she was really in need there are places she can go and she is aware of this.
..the landlady let them in. Because her husband was found deceased in the bathroom, she hallucinated that when I was in the tub, I must be in distress. So 8 times I heard the front door open with no warning phone call and no knock. She of course had a key. When the fire department came, I am not sure what she told them but she opened the door and they came in, expecting some kind of emergency. There was none, except getting over having to climb out of the tube and explain that nothing was wrong, in front of them all. They left. I moved. The other tenants are all male and she didn’t demonstrate this invasive stuff with them, just me, the only female in the building at the time.
Mary Anne, I did not know she buys cigarettes for underage kids. Isn’t that illegal? If that is the case, couldn’t the police arrest her? Then maybe the folks at the jail could help her with detox and help her in some way? I haven’t been in touch w/the KC DAD for years. I’d have to ask what their current policies are.
I am sorry about the cigs. What about alcohol?
That would be kind of funny, if (hypothetically speaking) someone who’s been involved in heroin trafficking for years were to be finally apprehended and jailed for selling cigarettes to minors. It would be justice well served, in my eyes, but many people are more tolerant of the tobacco thing.
Susan,
Get counseling. If you are going to get a job you have to release the past and get healthy mentally. I left you a few suggestions of jobs. The new jobs listing came out from Paul Valenti, whom I also know. Talk to him or another in that office to clarify how to be more in tune with mentla health recovery. Writing this kind of stuff on an open internet site lets many know a lot about yur character.
People here keep saying they “feel for her,” she’s still a human, etc… Well I don’t. Why should i feel for someone who engages in anti-social behavior and thumbs her nose at the very people trying to help her?
All of you saying this should ask yourselves, would you still “feel for her” just as much if she were male? I know if I saw some scruffy “homeless” male buying smokes or anything else for minors, one word would go through my mind: “Dirtbag.” And so yes, Adrian is a dirtbag, too. She’s a liar, a junkie, and a scam artist.
And yet knowing all this, many of you here will CONTINUE to buy her peppermint mochas. Amazing. So do you do it because, as some here say, it makes you “feel better?” Or do you actually believe it’s somehow helping her? It’s not! It’s just encouraging her to continue doing what she does week after week, year after year. Why would she ever seek to lift herself out of her situation when people keep throwing money and expensive drinks at her?
But hey, Wallingford needs the “diversity’ that the Adrians of the world bring, right? Being a scammer and a junkie is actually a POSITIVE thing for the neighborhood, to hear some tell it. So why stop there? Let’s roll out the welcome mat for car prowlers, package thieves, methheads, pedophiles, rapist, and murderers as well.
Think of all the “diversity” we’ll have then!
Phil, you seem to think we are being sexist because we wouldn’t treat a male ‘Adrian’ the same way. I won’t deny many folks would treat a male in the same situation differently, but I don’t think it is because we are being sexist. I’ve registered over 600+ convicted sex offenders and only about 1% were female. Our female Adrian doesn’t give off a violent or threatening vibe to me. Does this mean she isn’t capable of crime against a person? Absolutely not, but I think a lot of people go with their gut feelings when it comes to donating to someone on the street.
You are making false predictions and seeing things too much in b&w here. I really doubt offering someone a drink or sandwich now and then won’t make Wallingford a cesspool of crime. Will showing little acts of kindness help her out in the long run? Who knows. Maybe the 100th time someone reaches out to her she will decide to change things around. Or maybe not.
Also, how do you know she’s a heroin addict? Do you even know her last name? From a police ID standpoint, many people can have or use the same name and DOB and have criminal history under that name. The only real way to correctly attribute criminal history to someone is to compare fingerprints. Every time someone is booked in jail, fingerprints and photographs are taken. So if you want to fingerprint her, send her fingerprints to WSP, pay them to run a criminal history check, then you could feel pretty confident of knowing her reported criminal history.
There is a big difference between a criminal history of bookings and observations of reliable people over and over.
it is my guess that no onehas called the police for many of the incidents written about here- thus NO criminal history fo rthose.. buying cigarettes for minors, participating in drug exchanges, the sometimes loud, verbal disturbances of the peace.
However I seem to be the only one who has noticed her absence from her ‘spot’.
YoYo, I have applied for those kinds of positions and also have known Paul for years.
I always talk to women on the streets to see if I can help. I did help Adrian out several times when she sat in the rain. I understand now that she probably didn’t tell me the real story yet I worry for women out there.
I helped a young woman who stood by the freeway offramp in Ravenna for weeks in freezing weather. She had lost her job, car (accident) and then apartment within 3 months and went for a regular life to street begging. Life happens. And most of us keep on going. The challenge of a street life is the expectation that someone land a job that can sustain them and rent, etc. when they have no place to shower or keep decent clothes is not sane. The young woman said she applied and applied yet when employers discovered she had no address, they backed away, knowing she was on the streets. She was at that time, living under the freeway and completely vulnerable to being predated upon, being tiny and not used to the “life.”
The amount of abuse in this culture is very high, when the money runs out. And I think for most people, if you live long enough there are large challenges in life (divorces, illness, loss of work, being a victim of crime, downsized, etc.) Several of my male professional acquaintances have been out of sustainable work for 3 + years and are living with relatives. And UI benefits were slashed in this state and when employers lie, people don’t get them.
When the savings are gone, and there are no friends to join with, then homelessness can become a reality. Seriously, how would one prepare for a great job interview with no ironed clothes, no transportation (when the money runs out, so does bus fare, no mailing address, etc. and having spent the night in a shelter). It is a closed downward loop without help from other people.
Adrian did tell me the same story of her father dying, and her having no home. She told me she was staying first in her old car, then when it died, it was towed. I sure people have noticed how many people live in their cars and motor homes in the area. For years I attended films on Friday nights at the Wallingford Neighbors for Peace and Social Justice. Many people living in their cars would attend to talk about their struggles to survive, etc.
In my experience, most people who are homeless have a story of hardship and a lack of a safety net. They carry a lot of pain. And some choose to deal with this pain by numbing it with drugs or alcohol. Yes, this is a personal choice. Yes, this does not excuse things like buying cigarettes for minors. But having an addiction does not mean that a person does not deserve to be treated kindly or decently.
Giving someone cash can enable an addiction and I think it is far better to give to an organization that offers help than to give cash directly to someone with an addiction. However I am of the opinion that everyone, no matter what their problems, deserves to eat. I am also of the opinion that people are likelier to start believing in themselves and seek help when they think that they are deserve a better life. If you (yoyo and others on her bandwagon) do nothing but revile them and treat them like scum, they are just going to continue to hate themselves and destroy their lives. You cannot teach someone that their life is of value and worth changing by kicking them when they are already down. If you hear that you are scum and a dirt bag often enough, you will believe that is true. In many people’s lives, they have been given those messages from childhood by fundamental people in their lives. Your adding to that chorus of voices is not ever going to inspire them to change.
What we can do is to see them as people. Buy them coffee or don’t. Hold them accountable for illegal behavior. But save the vitriol for the people that abused them, the governments who don’t allocate enough resources to addiction treatment, the pimps that prey on vulnerable people and others rightfully deserving of your anger. And for heaven’s sakes stop trying to talk people out of being kind to another person. You never know when you might find yourself in need of kindness from a stranger.
Well said Kimberly! It is people like you who make me glad I live in this neighborhood.
Yoyo, if you are seeing a crime in progress, why don’t you get the ball rolling and call 911?
Can I get this straight, the point of contention is whether it’s OK to 1) buy this woman peppermint mochas, and 2) treat her like a human being?
It is not such a good idea to give her money, and all seem to be in agreement on that.
There is probably a limit to how many mochas she can drink, it’s hard for her to sell them, can’t really contribute so much to the problem that it’s worth worrying about. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to ask that she be treated like a human being – everyone should be treated like a human being, thought that covers a pretty wide range of possibilities. Anyone seriously disagree?
The problem really is the money. If you all really agree, no money, then you don’t have to lecture us about kindness. If you give the money through responsible organizations, then there’s no problem at all.
Thank you Donn for getting us back on track. I hope you don’t think I was trying to lecture on kindness. I was trying to give a different POV. I did not appreciate the ugly and hateful comments.
Give her the address and phone number on comment 63 and be done with it. And stop supporting corporate coffee. There are a number of small business coffee shops in Wallingford. Support your local economy!
Agree with not giving Adrian. I drove by at 7 last Saturday, and she could barely keep her head up. Either she had been up all night or she had snorted/shot heroin.
I’m officially sick of the “Adrian” subject. She is what she is and everybody’s gonna do what everybody’s gonna did with regards to her situation.
How about a new subject: Anybody interested in having a Wallingford-wide yard sale on Saturday June 1st? There will be some folks on Thackeray near 50th doing it and seemed like it might be cool to get something going all over Wallingford.
Thank you, Donn, for reminding everyone that people should be treated as human beings.
Anne, you “encouraged” Adrian to share her story – to exploit her life so you could feel like a good Samaritan – and then are surprised when she is a human being – one who may make decisions and mistakes – and then you publicly shame her because YOUR reputation is on the line. You should be ashamed.
Did you offer her access to services? Did you tell her to call 211 when she is ready? Or did you just judge her from your righteous privileged standpoint?
OK Marie and YoYo, let me get this straight. Anne makes you sick and she’s an exploiter. Because? Because she had the courage to actually talk to and learn the name of a homeless woman? Because she asked permission from the woman to put her story on the blog? Because she took the time to do additional research? Because that additional research produced conflicting and confusing information? Because she wrote up this whole story – in all its messiness – to shed some light on a person in our community and to get people talking about homelessness?
If she’s an exploiter, what exactly does she have to gain from starting this whole conversation? I certainly didn’t get the impression from her piece that she felt good about how things went. Or that she felt resolved. And is there something wrong with trying to be a good Samaritan? I don’t think she wanted to feel like one, I think she wanted to help Adrian. And when that plan turned out not to be easy, I think Anne wanted to understand. I applaud her for wrestling with the issue, and for actually engaging with a real homeless person in order to do so.
Meanwhile, you two sit smugly in internet anonymity casting stones at Anne. For what reason? To feel better about yourselves? Where do you come by the authority to judge her intentions or to write hurtful things about her because she wanted to share a story?
This is a neighborhood blog. The people who write for it are your neighbors. We are trying to engage with and understand our community, and hopefully make it a better place. Please remember that we are not an anonymous blog where you can troll and flame as you wish. You can disagree with us all you want, and make whatever impassioned arguments you would like to in order to make your point. But don’t attack us personally. This isn’t the forum for it.
Yay Kimberly. It is possible to have the conversation respectfully from different vantage points.
You wanna talk about smug internet anonymity? How about smearing someone publicly who has no defense and telling the world where that person works every day?
I really like this blog a lot, but I have to say – for a blog that supposedly is here to elevate community, it is pretty terrible to denigrate someone who, whether you like it or not, is a member of our community.
@Marie, Anne wasn’t being anonymous, she identified herself. “Smear” is defined as “a false accusation intended to damage someone’s reputation”. I disagree that they are false. Anyone who desires can defend themselves here. The library, a few short blocks from QFC, has computers that anyone may use. Do you believe that it is always terrible to denigrate someone who is a member of your community? How could the press or members of the community have honest conversations if they’re only allowed to talk about the good things?
On a separate note, the rules for this blog are that you can say “your ideas are stupid” but you may not say “you are stupid”. On that basis, I’m deleting the “you make me sick” comment. This conversation has been a difficult one for a lot of people, and adds nothing, and certainly subtracts.
I post under yoyo. I did not post under yo saying someone makes me sick.
I agree with Marie Anne.
I will call the police and make reports the next time I observe something which is reportable.
I feel very, very fortunate to live in this neck of the woods and I am beyond thrilled that I have a neighbor like Anne who would be there to help me get back on my feet if I needed it. We are all lucky to have her in this community.
Life is complicated. People are complicated. If you put your neck out there to help someone and rally the community behind them to only find out their story is far from true, you are left feeling hurt, embarrassed and a smidge more cynical.
I am certain that if the woman outside QFC had told Anne, “Hey I’m an addict. It is what it is and I’m not looking to change,” that Anne would have treated her with respect and kindness. She is not out to smear or denigrate anyone, or kick a person aside because they aren’t, what was the word, perfect?
There was a trust that was established and it was broken. Period. Anne wrote her piece to prevent all of you from going down the same road.
It’s pretty brave to share our experiences. Let’s be a little more civil, please. As my mother always says, “We become what we mock.”
And by the way, you don’t need a birth certificate to get a room at the Aloha, you just need a drivers license. I know this because I had my own “Adrian” experience, except the person I was trying to help had two children in tow. It’s a whole other story to tell another time. Or, on second thought, maybe not.
Saw a drug deal go down today in front of the QFC. A woman (different from the one being discussed here) selling to a young white guy. No mistake.
Thank you Wallyhood and Jennifer. Very well said and I appreciate what you both wrote.
Does QFC have surveillance cameras? Drug deals go down so fast, unless a police officer was nearby, it would be close to impossible to catch suspects in the act. Would they even respond? I saw a drug exchange on the Ave the other day on the way to Ace Hardware. I am sure it was just one of many.
And this is why I never offer them cash…on cold nights I usually go inside QFC and buy some nice warm soup and bread for them.
Rina, that is really nice of you.
There were so many things wrong with this story it is hard for me to believe people took it so seriously. The author, who has never appeared on the Wallyhood blog previously, claimed to have spent a week with the subject, meeting daily and talking with her at length. Why did she think this woman needed her and the neighborhood’s help after she learned the woman was going into a women’s shelter on 5/13!? Coincidentally that was the day that the “story” was published and also the day when this woman virtually disappeared from her spot near the QFC – hence unavailable to defend herself against the many serious allegations and charges that appear in this article. Women’s shelters provide wraparound support services. The author never identified the “direct action” that she proposed would help this woman. In all the time of talking with this woman, she never got her last name.
Nonetheless, on a Sunday evening, when she and her “NPR reporter” friend decided to check up on her story about going to a shelter, they were able to somehow identify the shelter, get the phone number, call and “after three rings”, speak with a real live person who was willing to break all the rules of shelter privacy and disclosure and check the “waiting list” records only to tell them that this person was not on it, though, of course, they had no last name. Armed with this astounding knowledge, the author scurries down to QFC – THAT NIGHT – and finds some other “panhandler” guy named John who apparently feeds her a whole other story about this street woman, claims these beggars can make up to a hundred bucks a day in our foolishly gullible neighborhood, claims that there are jaw-droppingly cheap (“easy to score”) rooms available “just behind QFC” and whose loquacious story the author apparently swallows whole even though the street woman subsequently, vehemently, denies it. Shockingly, this woman apparently does not want to pee in a cup to save the author from the humiliation of having “believed her” (prior to ever submitting the story to the Wallyhood blog). “I trusted her”, the author says.
More shockingly still, the author soon observes drug transactions, presumably the “Big H”, going on between this woman and some attractive young men just outside where she “buys milk for her children.” Come to find out, this cunning street woman apparently gets chauffeured around with her phony homeless bags by a boyfriend with whom she apparently lives (“an attractive and friendly young man” who the author had the “fortune” to meet) We subsequently learn from other posters that this street woman also does a brisk business selling cigarettes to minors while telling pitiful sob stories to all sorts of gullible folks as she sips mint mochas and strawberry something or others.
I don’t know who this author is. I have no idea if she really engaged with this street woman or made this whole thing up. She gave no sources, named no names and did a whole lot of conjecturing. I found nothing kind or heroic or redeeming about her story. Was this supposed to be a public service announcement? She was willing to publicly identify a street person in our midst, make serious and even criminal allegations about her, provide her no opportunity to defend herself against these charges,(Wallyhood, do you really think it is sufficient to propose that she could mosey down to the library and use their computers to respond?) and finally, expose her to an open public forum where numerous people have taken vicious and petty pot shots at her.
What is the takeaway? Street people are far easier targets than the generous and kind neighbors who might respond to them. Anyone who thinks that sitting outside on a street corner begging for money or meals is a career choice should have their head examined. Addiction is an ugly and vicious disease and the mortality rate for street people is truly shocking. If you see a crime, call 911. If you want to help a street person, direct them to the Dutch Shisler Center or Recovery Centers of King County or the Downtown Emergency Service Center or some other agency experienced and equipped to deal with their issues. No money. No cruelty.
walkinroun, thank you for your thoughtfulness in posting this. I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you Walkinroun. I really like the way you expressed yourself w/out name calling or labeling. You are right on so many points.
My elderly aunt has a severe mental illness and it is so frustrating for me to try to help her. She is in a nice assisted living facility and thankfully she is doing all right. I bring up my aunt because I know how maddening it can be to try to ‘help’ others who don’t want help or are unable to accept it. I used to see ‘Adrian’ around QFC and never gave her money but always wished her well. I figured she was living the life that she was accustomed to and if she wanted to live differently, she would need to take the first steps. I am not a trained social worker. Also, I was hoping she was being offered help by others. Lame I know.
I had to say something when people started posted mean and hateful things about our fellow neighbor.
Walkinroun, you brought up a good point about using the SPL computers. Do you need a SPL card to use them? If so, what is the criteria for getting a card? A permanent home address? A phone number to be reached at? A valid ID card?
I volunteered at the Goodwill Adult Literacy program eons ago. Maybe Adrian doesn’t know how to read? It’s amazing how many adults in our fine city don’t know how to. I once tutored a truck driver who only knew how to recognize the symbols on the street signs. Who knows how he passed the written part of his exam. If Adrian is not literate, the is no way she could read or respond to this thread.
Couple of questions raised above: was this a public service announcement? Not in the sense of issued from a public agency, but yes, it does serve our interests to know more about phenomena like this that some of us support. Heroic and redeeming? I guess not, but those words don’t appear anywhere above until you used them.
The article does make allegations against someone who’s identified by name. First name, anyway. There seems to be some corroborating evidence from commenters, admittedly not a very high standard but personally it adds up for me. This isn’t a public trial – there’s no verdict and no sentence, and only a small fraction of the community is even aware of it. I don’t even know what “Adrian” looks like, and I don’t care. I think you might agree that it’s as much about how we look at the way we, let’s say typical Wallingford residents, relate to panhandlers, about whom we really know nothing. Supposing we don’t prefer to remain ignorant, do you have any ideas about how to publish information like Anne’s story – I mean, you may question the facts in this case, but let’s assume that there would be facts very much along the same lines in any case.
Well, by supporting her activities and the crime associated with them which touch our lives, we contribute to the day when someone passes by and notices her passed out, died right there on the sidewalk, after a mocha latte from a kindness which helped her troddle along to more lethal drugs.
walkinroun it is clear you are skeptical though gullible from your post. Even though its healthy to be skeptical you aren’t applying it too the so called homeless woman that has sat there for the past 2 years.
You don’t seem to know anything about drug addicts or the so called homeless of Wallingford. Granted there are many homeless that live on the street. Some I would commonly see that lived in the U district on the Street. I don’t know where that one man that had a mental illness commonly seen with a cheap plastic grocery bag on his head for a rainhat will ever get his hat again.
Some of us are sick of the “greeters” that tell you to have a good day though non affiliated with businesses hanging out asking for money everywhere. I once was chased by 20 of the 50 hanging out in front of the Safeway at night after telling them to get a job. The Quaker church below where I lived had one nice harmless homeless guy living behind it. They got tired of it when another 50 moved in and had them evicted. A one point on the Ave in front of the post office there were kids from Bellevue along with others asking for money in front of the USPS that certainly were not homeless.
There is more crime in the U-District and more car prowls in lower Wallingford than North I think having lived in both for years and experiencing the crime first hand became very adept at reading people. So you can attack the writer of the article for what they said but unfortunately regarding Adrian they are correct.
She has somewhere to go at night she isn’t sleeping on the streets. The money people give her isn’t going to anything but drugs.
That QFC has had other homeless women stay over night in the bathrooms and make a mess of it. A homeless man lay in the area of the cards at night by the Starbucks upstairs only to get yelled at by him when told he has to leave. Some employees have been spit on at times. Adrian isn’t one that has slept in there or anywhere around where her station is. The Wallingford Center has coded locks on the bathrooms just as the Greenwood Safeway for the same reasons.
Adrian is a flake and has been there for years. Several others asking for money are not what they state. There was a woman for many years sitting in a lawn chair with a box asking for money on sidewalk directly in front of the doors. She disappeared after someone threw something on her. I don’t know what it was but she always appeared legit with her little metal lockbox that looked like it could have been bolted down. But where the money went no one knows.
People are gullible. The spot in front of the store often has homeless and others not homeless jockeying for position. One telling the other come on man you been here all day. I used to see a guy sitting in a wheelchair just off I-5 panhandling in an area some Native Americans often have staked out now. One day I saw him pushing the wheelchair walking just fine to his station.
Go to the Safeway in the U-District there is nice man selling spare change newspaper. He was once given a job at the Wallingford QFC by a former manager. He ultimately had to let him go for reasons I should not discuss here but I will tell you this. He makes well over $100 a day sometimes double that selling Sparechange and most likely not paying any income tax or SS tax etc. He may even live on disability payments. I don’t know that as a fact but its not uncommon.
There is bearded booney hat wearing man that claims to be homeless. Lately you will see him at the post office asking for money. Sometimes in the past he has a sign that claims he is a veteran. There is nothing about him that says vet, as we have known homeless veterans and he is not one. Technically hes not drunk and not buying alcohol ever and way too clean to live on the street.
He was admonished from the front of the Fremont grocery store Market Time in the past for drug dealing. He then appeared in front of the Bartels here. Sometimes in front of the QFC. I see him get into peoples cars who call him on his cell phone and make some type of a deal but its them calling him all the time. So in other words he is the seller. Let me put this sign down for a minute and get in some car and do some business. One Summer evening in the past he had a helper on a bicycle that was younger that I believe was holding for him.
I live North of 50th just off Wallingford. We have had a drug dealer also show up here. The last time was New Years day I saw him. Funny hat like cartoon on the front of baseball hat. Always appeared waiting for some car to drive up and make a deal in. The neighborhood put up signs warning of cameras.
We are not that far from 99 or Greenwood where you can commonly see drug deals go down at bus stops while filling your gas tank.
These beggars are not like the beggars you would see if you went to China who are much worse off. But even in 3rd world people can be fooled. When people began appearing on the Eastside off the interstate asking for money it became clear this is a business. In fact the UW has or had a class on panhandling and a contest to see who could collect the most money at the end of the class. Perhaps continuing education as are the people who keep giving them money are being duped and failing the grade.
Around Highway 99 Its best to have ones doors locked as prostitutes if you are a man will attempt to open the car door and get in. I’ve seen them try.
One of the common nationwide scams I see happen here is you will see a man and a woman with the hood up on their car claiming waving frantically at you. Do not stop. They just want some money for gas, but its not really for gas. It’s for what else? Drugs.
The last I heard about Adrian was she was given a place to live, access to a house and in a matter of days was stealing them blind to pay for her habit.
Perhaps there is more to the story from the OP than she is willing to reveal.
It is entirely possible she is on heroin. I have worked for people with heroin and cocaine addictions. You begin to see problems when they can not afford materials needed for the job that someone not drugs would never have a problem supplying. But particularly in the case of Heroin its not always obvious that they are using. Often they prefer candy bars to other food.
Aw now, Packet, those are very hateful, mean-spirited comments, don’t you know? It doesn’t matter WHAT activities they engage in. They’re still “human.” You should “feel for them.” So what if they’re breaking into cars, getting smokes for your kids, scamming suckers (sorry, “kindhearted people”) with B.S. sob stories, shooting up in restrooms, passing out on the bus stop bench for all to enjoy, or taking a dump in your front yard or the playground you go to.
Yes, you should buy them all the peppermint mochas they ask for for it will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. And throw wads of cash at them; it will undoubtedly go toward a nutritious meal, so don’t worry what it’s used for. It’s none of your business.
And remember, you can’t ask them to stop being anti-social and exhibit a modicum of decency and respect for others, because hey, they’re “homeless!”
Packet, you seem really observant. Thank you for your post. I knew the area around Safeway was bad, but not that bad. Drug addiction is the worst. It tears apart families and destroys lives.
Thank you Mark for your comments in #62. I think Jesus would approach any person in need with compassion, love and patience. Then hopefully he’d touch their heads and rid them of any mental ailments or drug addictions.
Packet–how is it bad that Ed from in front of the Safeway made $100 a day? Selling papers is a job, it’s not panhandling. I’m always happy to buy a copy of Real Change (that’s the name of the paper) from a vendor–they’re working at just about the only job that you can find if you have no address. (The paper’s good, too.) Good vendors make enough to get a place to live; many go on to other jobs. So, what now, the successful vendors aren’t poor enough?
Meanwhile, Ed died recently. For those willing to read another story about a street person:
http://realchangenews.org/index.php/site/archives/7807
Hayduke I just read your comment now. Do you listen to KUOW by chance? I can’t find the story, but I heard it recently. A doctor from Bellevue Hospital NY was interviewed and he said he values and learns from each patient he works with, many of whom are homeless. Although I don’t have any personal knowledge of being homeless, I know it must be extremely difficult and terrifying. The doctor said most people don’t really think what daily life must be like for someone who is homeless and/or has a mental illness. Even basic things like having a place to store or reheat leftovers are difficult to attain. That is why fast food restaurants are so appealing. Do I support Urban Rest Stops? You bet! Do I like crime? Of course not.
My Uncle and his partner were brutally murdered on Christmas many years ago. Their bullet ridden bodies were left under the Christmas tree. His death affected everyone in our family. My father moved us to Bellevue because it was a safer place than central Seattle (where the murder took place) and because the schools were better. A BIG part of the reason why we chose Wallingford to live was because it was safer than many other areas. I also worked for the KCSO because I wanted to help make our community a safer place for all, including the homeless.
Do I want more crime in Wallingford? Of course not. I’m sure no one else does either. I know you were being sarcastic. I felt the need to respond because many of your comments seemed to be directed at mine.
Hayduke, sarcasm or not, your post made me chuckle as few of the others have.
I donot recall the exact year, as early as 1993.. there was an exceptionally loud, vulgar insulting real Change vendor in front of Food Giant. Due to bright gold Oregon Ducks shirt, heh decided to call me ‘Hey Oregon”. He yelled this is a rude way every tiem I came ot the store. I didn’t like it. I used every plan possible to ignore him: ignoring, complaints to FG, complaints to RC and learnng the law. he followed me once and his taunts became awful. Real Change and the store got many complaints due to his activities. real Change refused to remove him from his ‘seniority’ goos seller spot.
I learned the law. He and other sellers, vagrants.. etc can not cross the line onto the store’s property. As he stood out front I noticed his occasional law breaking. I reported each time I observed.
It took over a year for him to disappear, whether due to RC’s decision or other means. I would not have taken action, had he not begun incessant taunts.
Adrian is different in that she doesn’t taunt or do illegal activities openly. However I am bothered by our ( Wallingford)’s kindness which is complicit consent to illegal drug sales, use and the problems which coem to us from such. No tonly due to the trash which has to be cleaned up but the theft from QFC and the misused bathrooms.
SPL computers are not free for everyone to use. You need a library card. To get a library card you need proof for residence: http://www.spl.org/using-the-library/get-started/get-a-library-card
I cannot believe that a shelter employee told a complete stranger on the phone if someone was on their waiting list. There are a lot of shelters in Seattle, but they are almost always full, and any subsidized housing programs have long wait lists: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2018953107_homeless20m.html
yoyo–thanks for sharing your story of twenty years ago.
It only took a year to know the law and use the law to remove a constant taunter, overly verbally abusive person from in front of our neighborhood store.
Thanks for sharing your story. There are lots of services for people that are homeless, on drugs, hungry or have mental health issues. I would encourage people to give to some of these local services before giving to pan handlers to make sure the money can be spent more effectively vs. enabling some of these habits.
I recommend researching any non profits you select to make sure you are comfortable with how they spend their money….something you can’t really do with just giving money to a pan handler.
First and foremost all of you are talking about the subjet “Adrian” as if you know her, but how well do you REALLY know her? Most street people use fake names, alias’s, or nick-names so Adrian most likely is not even her name… SO therefore when Anne called to check up @ the shelter the name given was probably not what her name would have been on the list.
Second off I ACTUALLY do know this woman from several years ago before she was homless and YES she did live with her boyfriend until his parents kicked her out. So she actually has been homeless as of appearing in Wallingford several years ago, sleeps in abandon buildings, construction sites, and on porches. And yes I’ll admit she has a drug habit but for all the un-informend or less knowledgeable about this she smokes her herion. HOWEVER this woman barely makes enough money to support her own habit let alone enough money to be selling it. Which obviously if she were selling drugs she would have ALOT more money and surely would not be homeless begging infront of QFC looking the way she does, which she looks HOMELESS!
So take your views, thoughts, suspicions, opionions, and whatever the hell you think you saw and get over that one! If you REALLY think someone is selling drugs in your neighborhood by all means of course call 911 cause no one wants that but when the cops arrive to “Adrian” supposedly doing this it will confirm for you that she is not when police tell you otherwise and that none of that is going on atleast by her…
Further more as many others have said on this blog post leave the poor girl alone as she has no way of defending herself from your pack of wolves on here shredding away at her reputation and life each time you slander her name with false accusations and even criminal accusations that you have absolutely not 100% proof of. None of you have video of her selling drugs, have not seen her I.D. to prove her name, nor have you followed her @ night to see where shes goes and sleeps so before accusing why don’t you so some REAL RESEARCH…
Reguardless none of this matters anymore since she is gone and I believe will be permenantly gone. So now all you can throw on your party hats, dance around, and be happy that you got her out of your diverse little small town community.
Thank you Tayla! I think your post is one of the best I’ve read here. I hope Adrian is ok. I definitely won’t be dancing and I did not like this thread. I’m sorry I contributed and I’m sorry I took the time to read it. It made me like our neighborhood less. I had to remind myself that the folks on my block rock and how much I love our families in our school. Trolls from anywhere can post.
bored soccer moms should probably stay in their depth when thy get a spark to do some good out there.
volunteer at a shelter, organize a bake sale for a food bank….
whew!
I am glad I read this article and participated.
We can all disagree to disagree without ” throw on your party hats” or ” you make me sick” remarks. Until you have been a victim of crimes carried out by people who hang around in front of the store, then it is easier to say’ be compassionate’ or to buy them a mocha. When you get to know some of the store staff who have to clean up the bathrooms and deal with drugged violence in their store and outside then you may have a different opinion.
As a very frequent customer at QFC, I end up going to the grocery store almost every day, and see “Adrian”, or whatever her suposed name is, 90% of the time outside. She is one of the few non-confrontationl homeless people outside of the store which I do appreciate.Generally I don’t give change to the beggars outside because lets face it, you just never know where its gonna go or what habit it will feed. Although I realize you can’t prevent panhandlers from begging outside , I don’t like to feel confronted every time I want to go grab some milk or eggs at the store. I have an 18 month old son and am pregnant with another and have never felt so vulnerable. Yes I want my son to grow up with diversity and to realize that we are not all so fortunate and that helping others is a good thing. But at the same time, Wallingford IS a family neighborhood. Whether “Adrian” buys/sells drugs or not, the problem still persists in any neighborhood, urban or suburban. It is our job as citizens, parents, and neighbors to keep a watchful eye on these happenings and keep those informed who wish to be aware and help make our community safe. This is the place that we have chosen to live in and if we choose to investigate or make a stand against any illegal activity with or without merit or proof than that is our perogative- if you don’t like it as a panhandler, then move on to some other place. If you don’t like it as reader then don’t read the article- maybe you should ask Adrian to babysit your kids, if you are so comfortable with her story- I mean hey, she needs the extra money! We are all innocent until proven guilty but that doesn’t mean we need to keep to ourselves if we suspect something astray in our community. There is nothing wrong with someone reporting this story. They felt an emotional impact from someone they wanted to help and were deceived. I would actually like to praise Anne for keeping us on our toes and keeping watching out for the sake of our community and kids.
ALSO, most likely anything the guy said that was sitting in “Adrian’s” spot when Anne went there that night is a sad attempt to slander her name. So from then on out no one will believe her story, think she is a fraud, and just so he can make a few extra bucks that people will give to him instead of her due to the fact that her name has been shredded to pieces. Niceee job guy!
Yoyo, are you saying that you were the victim of a crime? Did Adriam carry out that crime? You seem very hostile both to street people and those that buy them mochas. Your only “real” complaint is from 20 years ago with a different street vendor.
I go to a grocery store to shop. Period. Not to be an observer of drugged out or drunk or highly impaired people hanging around. I have been yelled at before by that other drunk guy who stops by occasionally. And I have taken time to listen to store staff who have to clean up after the mess some stoop sitters leave behind. And gotten to listen to yelling and screaming inside store from some of their pals.
I used to chat wiht the lady on the wheelchair who sold her potholders.. she was not drugged or drunk and had a clear face and had created a a little service.
I am not hostile to them. i dislike the law breaking and potential peace breaking also.
I’m more confused, are you ok with street people with clear skin but not those with acne? How would you propose Wallingfordians handle our neighborhood panhandlers, and street folk?
Maggie – yoyo appears to just be one of those people that has their own weird twisted little view and opinion on this subject that no one understands nor will they ever… You simply can’t reason with or get your point across to some people, and you certainly won’t ever be able to grasp their’s!
Im glad shes gone and i dont care where she went. So put that in your pipe and smoke it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Bad mouthing someone becauae of how they feel is not only pathetic but very childish. Bye bye strung out homless girl. Good luck on your next adventure!
She has set up shop in a neighboring community. There is a QFC there also. She likes being in front of a QFC. She has her sign and is doing her whole show. I for one am glad she is gone.
In case any of you truly care about this story, and not just the entertainment that you received from it. “Adrian” is doing well. And yes, her name is actually Adrian. You’re right, she no longer sites outside of QFC anymore, because people who truly cared and chose a better form of caring than speculating and writing on this blog, helped her and loved her and made her feel like she deserved better. Because she did.
Adrian has been sober and off of the streets now for a little over 7 months and for the first time in four years, is spending the holiday season with her family.