[Rankenstein]

One night I was walking home to my old house, minding my own business. Winter was drawing in so it was dark and chilly, snow was on the ground as I recall. As I ambled along I was approached by a young man, maybe 20-ish, who extremely politely asked if I could spare five pounds. He said he needed it for travelling, but I could tell he was down-and-out and most likely would spend it on a bag of chips, booze or tobacco - much the same as you or I would, in fact.

Now, when I say 'extremely politely', I mean I was bowled over by his courtesy - it wasn't fawning, mark me - and I didn't really hesitate, even though deep-down I knew he was probably fibbing for profit. I even said to him 'Spend it on what you like.'

So, the next day, I saw him again in much the same place, and what a transformation! Gone was the polite young man who'd actually charmed me the previous evening, and in his place was a foul-mouthed sot ranting at some poor woman who hadn't given him money. Then he fixes his focus on me, without any semblance of recognition, and starts to ask for money again.

So I go straight up to him up and say
'Hey! You! I gave you money yesterday, right here last night, which you said was for traveling, and yet here you are drunk shouting at people."
And he said "Sorry! Sorry!"
So I said
"That's not the point. The point is that last night you were charming and polite and a pleasure to meet. I said you could spend it on whatever, and I meant it. And here you are now gobbing off at some poor woman. The guy I met yesterday was cool. Sort your act out." Then I went home.

The moral is that my charity turned a polite well-spoken lad into a foul-mouthed annoyance.

What can you do?