I’ve seen plenty of announcements & graphics on Neopets user pages which state things like “don’t ask me to just give you NeoPoints or items” or “don’t beg,” but I’d never been the target of that sort of thing — and I’ve had a Neopets account for almost 3 years!

Until today.

Someone whose user profile says they’re Estonian and have been on Neopets for a year sent me a Neomail with the subject line of “It’s my birthday!” that said (and I quote verbatim, including spelling & punctuation errors!):

Please give me one Regal Sand Sculpture, beacause i´m going to collect sandś pleaase help me. I don´t now how do bough it.PLEASE , SOME DAY I GIVE YOU NEOPOINTS PLEASE!!!!

Regal Sand Sculptures are Not Cheap. I actually wrote them a nice reply, telling them “Happy birthday” and advising them that I don’t just give people items or Neopoints because I believe in each person earning their own things, and wishing them good luck. (Technically, I do give gifts on Neopets — to people I know in real life. But I don’t owe the explanation of that distinction to a beggar.)

Someone told me I’m nicer in person than I am online (which, of course, implies that I’m a raving bitch online, but that may be beside the point), but in many ways I think I’m nicer online. If someone was begging at me in person, in even remotely a similar fashion, I’d either ignore them or give them a very curt “No!” (I have lots of practice ignoring panhandlers in downtown Portland…I refuse to give them money, considering that Portland has tons of resources for the needy & homeless, although if a homeless person asks me politely if I can spare a cigarette, I’ll give them one if they look over 18. Giving someone a cigarette isn’t assisting with their alcohol, meth, or heroin addiction.)

But begging on Neopets? Fiercely irksome and incredibly insipid.