Going to Florida tomorrow on family business...

[Jay2TheRescue]

I' m with BDA here, Jay.  I hope you will continue to thrift here in Florida, and not hold that unpleasantness against all the fabulous thrifts and staff who are out here!

But how did they know YOU weren't poor?  Were you carrying a sign that said, "I'm not poor"?   

I wonder if they operate by referrals--you know, get a piece of paper from a social welfare agency and/or a church in the area, present it at the door to show it's OK.

This does not excuse rudeness. There is no excuse for that, ever. 

SeSo

By no means would this one experience stop me from thrifting in Florida, but the whole experience at that "shop" shocked me.  I was treated like I should have known better than to walk in there if I wasn't needy, but their signs said nothing to indicate their mission.  I wonder if I had driven up there in my Buick would nothing have been said?  My Buick is 26 years old, has several dents in it, and I haven't even washed it in about 5 or 6 years.  Mom was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, I was wearing dockers and a polo shirt.  Being a small businessman I could have shown them a copy of my tax return, and I probably could have walked out with anything I wanted!  Last year I got a 100% refund of all taxes I paid durring the year.

-Jay

[Jay2TheRescue]

You know, I was just thinking...  "The Love Center" sounds more like the name of a bordello in the red light district than the name of an outreach program to help the poor.

-Jay

[Good Buddy]

The best part of our thrift trip to Daytona with Jay was before it even started.
After we all posed for the pic of us together that Jay posted, a street walker came walking up to us as if she were our best friend. I thought she was with Jay because she was so direct. I had a map of Daytona in my hand to talk about the route we were going to take and she came up and said, "Where you all going, I like maps." I replied, "That's great!". And just walked away from her. She walked away too, to see about finding another "client".
Crazy!

In Phoenix once, I was at a downtown thrift and I noticed this "lady" at the jewelry counter looking right at me hiking up her skirt. She must have stared at me for 5 minutes, all the while adjusting her skirt. I was pretty shocked. But as BDA can attest to, I'm sure, Central Phoenix is crowded with street ladies.
Not cool, but a fact just the same.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

It's your ~kewl~ Joey Ramone look that does it, GB!!! Definitely catnip to the "ladies".

This is YOUR week of "Feelin" the Love, Jay. Sir, You are a gentleman. 

Gabba-Gabba Hey!
SeSo

[ChrisMiss]

There is no excuse for rudeness anywhere in the country.  She should not deal with the public at all.  She probably treat the poor rudely too. 

[Jay2TheRescue]

The best part of our thrift trip to Daytona with Jay was before it even started.
After we all posed for the pic of us together that Jay posted, a street walker came walking up to us as if she were our best friend. I thought she was with Jay because she was so direct. I had a map of Daytona in my hand to talk about the route we were going to take and she came up and said, "Where you all going, I like maps." I replied, "That's great!". And just walked away from her. She walked away too, to see about finding another "client".
Crazy!

In Phoenix once, I was at a downtown thrift and I noticed this "lady" at the jewelry counter looking right at me hiking up her skirt. She must have stared at me for 5 minutes, all the while adjusting her skirt. I was pretty shocked. But as BDA can attest to, I'm sure, Central Phoenix is crowded with street ladies.
Not cool, but a fact just the same.

LOL, that was so funny.  I thought you knew her.  That was certainly a hot topic of conversation for the rest of the day.  Every time there was a lull in the conversation Robert would mention the lady of the evening in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

-Jay

[Jay2TheRescue]

There is no excuse for rudeness anywhere in the country.  She should not deal with the public at all.  She probably treat the poor rudely too. 

I didn't stay there long, but I was just thinking.  There was a bunch of folding tables and chairs up front.  I bet its one of those deals that you gotta do some bible study, then you can shop for free.  (The Love Center name would make more sense then).  I'm a christian, but I don't feel that bible study should be linked to a handout.  For it to mean anything the person needs to want to do the study for their own personal reasons, not because they need clothes.  In my hometown there is a baptist church that collects donations and keeps them upstairs above the chapel.  If a family is a victim of a house fire or other loss the church will open their doors and the family can take whatever they need for their new home.  Clothes, couch, microwave, dishes, kitchen tables, etc.  All the church cares about is that the family be a member of the local community.  It does not matter if they are christian or not.  That is how churches should help the community.

-Jay

[Big Daddy Audio]

I'm confused -
Ladies of the evening in the Wal-Mart parking lot?  Who does she thinks shops there?  Rich, millionaire playboys?  Talk about not knowing your market segment...   Maybe she was just picking up some Saran Wrap and some other things for the apartment.

Ladies of the evening in Central Phoenix?  Breathable atmosphere on Earth?  Mostly we make jokes about the "Street Walkers" down on Van Buren.  I don't frequent the area, so I'm really relying on GB's recollection.

That is all.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I'm confused -
Ladies of the evening in the Wal-Mart parking lot?  Who does she thinks shops there?  Rich, millionaire playboys?  Talk about not knowing your market segment...   Maybe she was just picking up some Saran Wrap and some other things for the apartment.

Ladies of the evening in Central Phoenix?  Breathable atmosphere on Earth?  Mostly we make jokes about the "Street Walkers" down on Van Buren.  I don't frequent the area, so I'm really relying on GB's recollection.

That is all.

Well, it wasn't the evening - it was mid-morning.  The Wal-Mart we were at is kinda like the hub of the whole town of Port Orange.  My mom got a huge laugh when she heard about the hooker.  She said they really are rolling back the prices on everything!  My uncle's neighbor said it might have been a cop doing a sting operation.  That hooker seemed to be a burrito short of a mexican platter if you know what I mean.  If she was a cop she was a great actor.

-Jay