Billings Transient Might Be The Most Aggressive Homeless Man in America

Living and working downtown, I see a lot of homeless people.  Typically, I don't mind them.  Most of the homeless guys I've encountered in Billings aren't a public nuisance.  However, yesterday I met the most aggressive transient of my lifetime.  Which is a bold statement because I spent 10 years in California.

Of course, I don't give them money.  I learned that lesson several years ago.  I was stumbling out of a bar on Christmas Eve and, in my drunken stupor, I gave a homeless guy $20.  Big mistake.  He actually hit me up for more money less than two hours later.

I've also met homeless guys who became fixtures in the community.  When I was living in California, there was a man in my neighborhood that the local calls "Pops".  He turned into a cult hero.  Someone even started a facebook page for him.  He eventually became so popular that he would roll up to local restaurants and bars on a brand new bike, sporting brand new threads.

But this downtown Billings homeless guy is a mean S.O.B.  I don't know his name, but I have seen him before.  Once, I was walking home from Angry Hank's with a growler of beer in my hand.  This guy approached me and asked if I would share it with him.  I told him that I would give it to him before I shared it with him and I wasn't going to give to it.

Then yesterday, I saw him again.  I was walking back to the Crowne Plaza Hotel from lunch.  He jaywalked across the street and asked if I could spare some change.  I replied with my typical answer, "Sorry, I'm all plastic".  The man remained undeterred.  He continued to follow me down 1st avenue.  I told him that I would give him a smoke and he said, "I don't want a f#$%ing smoke, I want a drink".   told him that he might stand a better chance of scrounging up a couple bucks if he was nicer to the people he was begging for money.

He kept following me.  I crossed the street.  He crossed the street behind me.  I entered the hotel where we work.  He followed me in.  I got on the elevator. Then he got in.  Now, I'm scared.  Is this dude gonna try to mug me?   At this point, I finally had enough.  I told him to quit following me and to get off the elevator before I hit the alarm.  Eventually, he called me an a-hole and left the hotel.

Next time you're hanging out in downtown Billings, be on the lookout for this guy.  He's a native american guy with a heavily scared face, long hair in a pony tail and teeth like a jack-o-lantern.  And he will follow you for three city blocks if he thinks you're got some money.