I kicked a homeless guy out behind my house...now I feel guilty.

[Tonya]

We live behind a shopping center and my neighbor had mentioned that some homeless people had been staying back there, but I hadn't seen anything. Mike and I had talked about it, and if we'd caught them, we were going to offer them a ride to the nearest homeless shelter.

Anyways, Roxy started barking like crazy, so I went outside to see what the deal was today. This guy had just finished hanging up his wet sleeping bag and blankets on my fence to dry. I consider myself a pretty giving person, but I went into defense mode. All I was thinking about was these people living right where my son plays. The guy was walking away, I yelled and he wouldn't turn around. I threw all of his stuff off of my fence and went and called the police.

After I calmed down, I started to think about it. Because of what I did, this guy won't have a warm dry blanket to sleep in tonight. Maybe I should have handled it differently. I went back outside after awhile to offer to wash and dry his blankets. I was just going to tell him that I would prefer he doesn't sleep back there because then my dogs bark like crazy. But he was gone when I went back out there.

I don't know. Guess I'm just feeling bad now. I'm so lucky to have a nice home and warm bed at night.

[Soledad]

Wow. What an incredibly difficult situation. I don't really have any advice. Just don't beat yourself up too much. Maybe next time just remember this incident.

(((((Tonya)))))

[ramanth]

That is a tough one.... but in the end... he is a stranger. What if he tried to climb the fence, one of your dogs bit him, and he sued?

Too many variables.....

Although if you see him again, I'd stick with the original plan of offering to take him to a shelter, or washing his blanket.

I agree with Soledad... don't dwell on it.

[micki76]

Originally posted by ramanth
That is a tough one.... but in the end... he is a stranger.

Exactly. He is a stranger and you don't know whether he's a good person or not. I personally don't want anyone living behind my house, if I don't know them. Not because I think all homeless people are dangerous, just because many strangers are.

[Truffles]

hey tonya,

don't feel bad i mean if it were me in that situation i would of done the same thing you did.i was in a simular situiation as you were only this involved a car.

see awhile back i had to take truffles to get groomed and on my way there (i walked there and back)anyway on my way there this car pulls up and asks if i need a ride,i said no thank you and walk on.then i dropped truffles off and started back home and by this time i was hot and tired anyway as i walked this same car asks me yet again do i want a ride i said no again and walked on.and i saw this same car again and he stopped and asked if i want a ride ..............................by this time i'm so beat and the heat was unbarreal and i said YES this time.when i got in the car he said i have to drop off some groceries first so i said ok .we got to his place and i offered to help w/ the groceries i went at the door and said here but he said just bring them in here and i was so hot and his place had cool air coming out so i went in and put them down but stayed close to the door but he says your welcome to sit down i said no thanks.by this time my feet were killing me and he calls me from his BEDROOM and asks me to come in there and says sit down so i sat down then he said TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES.by this time i'm scared and say i better just walk home he asks are you sure i said yes thanks anyway.so i get up and walk out as fast as i can and when i get out side i'm crying and running as fast as i can and i look back to make sure he wasn't following me i kept looking back till i got home then i lock the doors and call my mom when i heard heer voice i broke into tears and told her what had happened ,whhen my dad got home she told him what had happen he said HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID.and yelled more.

in other words the saying never get in a strangers car is very true the same goes for talking to strangers.

i did give taking the dog to get groomed a couple more times but both times i ended up seizing so i decided to let my dad handle the grooming.anyway you did the right thing this may be the seson of giving but i'd never take another chance of getting killed whether the person is homeless or not its not worth taking that type of risk.glad you yellded at this guy and phoned the cops that was indeed the right thing to do.take care

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE,

Marylyn