Got some change?

On the street today a guy said to me, "Hey, I just got out of prison, and I need to get out of town. Do you think you could spare some change?"

If you've been here since the beginning, then you may recall that I sort of have a problem with dishing out cash on the street.

That aside, what kind of comment is "I just got out of prison"? Is that supposed to garner sympathy or is it supposed to be a threat? Sounds like a threat to me. On the other hand, I suppose it depends on why he went to prison. Was it for violent crime? Then it would be a threat. But what if it was some dopey misdemeanor? Then perhaps it would have been for sympathy.

Either way, I didn't spare any change.