You know, I just came from the vet and shelled out $590.  for the exams,
shots, and A-D cat food I mix with Bob C.  chicken soup.  Then I went to
the store for 5 bags of kitty litter for the zoo, 3 bags of corn and 3 bags
of seeds for the ducks, heron, egret, and geese, and smaller birds and
squirrels, and a bag of dog food for the raccoons, skunk, opossum, and
feral cats and the fox.  On Wed., I will pay $80.  Each for 5 of the ferts
to have their teeth cleaned.
 
I feel guilty and uncomfortable when someone I don't know asks for money.
A part of me wants to be popular and liked and say- well-here it is!  And
then I can feel like a knight in shining armor.  But ya know- on this list,
I have never read of anyone asking for a loan.  Twice, I have E-mailed
people who needed money and I said I would loan money at 6% interest and a
two year pay off.  These were nice honest letters.  I never got a reply:
not a thank you or anything.
 
I Have twice offered to take a ferret.  I wrote a letter describing myself
and of my love for animals and why I thought I could be a loving Mom to
that persons ferret.  I never got a reply.  NOTHING.  Yet to me, making a
loan and taking in a ferret ARE things I considered healthy to do.  But to
just give away money?
 
If I were a millionaire, I hope that I would still not give away money to a
stranger.  I do not know if I actually would: but I hope not.  Why?
 
1.  People have scams.  They can involve several accomplices writing on a
list to say what a nice person so and so is, so I would have no way of
knowing if a stranger on this list was pulling a scam or not.
 
2.  People should have friends, neighbors, church members, or family to
borrow money from-if the borrowers are reliable.  Or they can sell their
bike, stop buying CD's, skip their vacation, stop eating expensive foods,
etc..  Or they can borrow money from the bank using collateral.  Or they
can put an emergency on their visa.  There are exceptions out there
somewhere!  But I would not KNOW who they were!!
 
3. Many people have money.  They just want someone else's also.  There is
a sucker born every minute.  I have not been able to afford a vacation
except this year for THREE days --in 3 years now.  I have to work 6 days a
week.  I go out to dinner once a year-if even that.  I have seen one movie
in almost 2 years.  I have no cable, I do not rent videos, I shop at
discount stores.
 
I do not know if the person who wants money has been doing that for years
as I have.  Why give money to someone who has more than I have-but choses
not to scrimp and save for their ferrets as I do??
 
4. There are many worthy causes out there.  Investigate them.  I know
F.A.I.R. money goes to the ferrets because I have been there, and done
that.  I know my local animal shelter needs money, and can see clearly
what they are doing and how they live.  And I know about my church.  I also
donate to maybe a dozen other places where I can either see or read about
the difference that the organization is making.  THAT is where I want my
money to go
 
5. Not that long ago, someone wanted money for a sick ferret.  The person
was in desperate financial straights.  About 2 weeks later-guess what?
This person brought home another ferret!!  Who wants to feel stupid for
being kind?  Not me.  But I would have if I had given that person money.
 
I will still continue to feel uncomfortable when I read on this list of
someone wanting free money with no intention to pay it back.  It hits me
funny to see this on the list.  But I am most genuinely happy to learn that
the person's ferret had surgery or was rescued from some difficulty because
someone did not feel as I do.
 
Lisette
[Posted in FML issue 2811]