Reverse Panhandling

Photo via @mennesseynews

Most people expect to get things on their birthdays, but not Bob Blackley of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. On his birthdays for the past three years, the 59-year-old man stands in the middle of a busy intersection giving out $5 to hundreds of strangers.

Call it a case of "reverse panhandling" - Last week, Blackley held a sign saying "I have a job. I have a home. Could YOU use an extra $5?" while he handed out the bills.

While a lot of people look at him suspiciously, thinking that he's trying to sell them something, Blackley told Michael Hennessey of Fox 8 News. But one man told him that he'd use the money to buys medicine he couldn't afford to pay for.

Blackley gave out $700 the first year, then $750 the next year, and $800 the year after that - all with no strings attached. "Anything they want, if it puts a smile on their face, it's theirs," Blakely said. And as for his motivation, Blackley said that his reason is simple: "Glad I woke up, glad I'm able to do it. That's what life is all about, smiling."