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Tabloid Tracks Down Homeless Man Who Borrowed AmEx
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 13, 2010
Modified Aug 13, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 13, 2010
Modified Aug 13, 2010
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There's not much to add to this heartwarming, feel-good story about the homeless man who borrowed a woman's American Express card and returned it 15 minutes later, after making a modest $25 purchase. In a world where people marinate cats and anger Foxy Brown, it's nice to know there are guys like Jay Valentine, the homeless man who asked ad exec Merrie Harris for change and was given her credit card instead. "I wasn't tempted at all," the 32-year-old Brooklyn native tells the Post. "She trusted me, and I didn't want to violate that trust. I would never do that." The tabloid is all set to crown him "Most Honest Homeless Man in the City," but there's just one catch.
Yesterday it was reported that Harris agreed to loan Valentine her Am Ex so he could buy a bottle of VitaminWater. She also approved his request to purchase a pack of cigarettes. But now it's come out that Valentine's shopping spree didn't stop at designer water; he also helped himself to deodorant and body wash. These purchases were not part of the agreement. And instead of buying a no-name brand of smokes, Valentine went with a pack of top-shelf Nat Shermans. Now, there's nothing wrong with appreciating life's finer pleasures, but "Most Honest, Fancy, and Hygenic Homeless Man" is probably a more accurate title. [Via Pat's Papers]
Tagged
amex
homeless
human interest
jay valentine
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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