October 2018 by Johnny L.
I've been a regular customer of NH Borderline Express for a number of years, driving an hour+ every few weeks from southern MA to save $$ on cigarettes. They've gotten at least $90 off me every couple of weeks for two cartons of smokes a whack. But not anymore, and here's why . . . After my most recent purchase, I was approached by a homeless man in the parking lot, asking for $2. He was on a bicycle, and said he wanted to get a burger at Wendy's. As I only had a five, I went back in the store to get change. The guy behind the counter refused. "Oh no, sir," he said, "I can't give you change." So, I went next door to the cigar shop. I handed a man in a suit my five, and asked him if I could get five ones. It was immediately apparent he had no idea what I was requesting. He gestured me toward a glassed-in room where tobacco was stored, while another man on a couch placed his palms together and bowed his head. I responded, "Sorry, I think we have a misunderstanding," and grabbed my five. As I left, the guy who was on the couch followed me outside, put his palms together, bowed his head, then vigorously pointed me back in the direction of NH Borderline Express. "Thanks," I said, nodding my head with equal vigor. He put his palms back together, bowed his head to me, then returned to the cigar shop. Suffice it to say, at this point, I was determined to get the homeless guy his frickin' burger!!! So, I went back into NH Borderline Express to find the absolute cheapest possible thing I could buy to break my five. But, the clerk asked if I still wanted change, and I said, "Yeah." He gave me five ones, then asked if it was for the guy outside. I said, "Yeah, he says he wants a burger at Wendy's." The guy's like, "Ohhhhhhh he's crazy! Always asking my customers for money! I've called the cops on him before!" Mind you, this is the most the guy behind the counter has ever said to me in all the years I've frequented the store. It's not like I go there for the warm and fuzzy customer service. I responded, "Yeah, okay. He's homeless, and says he wants a burger. He's hungry." I then walked out, gave the homeless guy his two bucks, and told him what the clerk said about him panhandling customers. "That's bullsh*t!" he said. I nodded my head, and replied, "F@#! him! Go enjoy your burger." Shortly afterwards, as I hit the highway, I thought about that guy behind the counter and how his face got all screwed up and angry when he learned why I wanted him to break a five. I thought about the homeless guy, too, and the dirt on his hands. And, I worried about the guy behind the counter, that maybe he called the cops on the homeless guy after I left. Then, I thought about how since the Citizens United decision, rich people can give unlimited amounts of money to politicians/PACS, while in cities across the country, there are anti-panhandling laws being instituted. Such laws are most often advocated for by local business interests, leading me to conclude, "Money is speech, my a**** Finally, I thought I'm going to need a new place to purchase cigarettes. Reason being, NH Borderline Express lost themselves a customer for talking smack about a homeless guy, and bragging about having called the cops on him in the past. Poor guy had a plastic shopping bag tied to the handlebars of his bicycle, holding what looked to be about a half-dozen recyclable cans. Meanwhile, according to infofree.com, NH Borderline Express' revenues total $1 million to $2.5 million annually. This suggests to me they can afford not to discriminate against a homeless guy.
