A couple of weeks ago as I entered the downtown train station a young man was hovering by the stairs panhandling. He stated that he was trying to get money for a ticket. It wasn't that he sought food; he sought to get somewhere, but apparently he couldn't put together $1.25 for a fare.
He was not disheveled. He was dressed in clothes that appeared laundered. He was clean-haven. But apparently he lacked even a dollar and a quarter.
Okay.
As I walked by, a guy and two young women also passed near him and he changed his line from "Can anyone spare any change?" to addressing one of the women with "I'd also take your phone number." He started following her, telling her how beautiful she was. As far as I could tell she had no interest (and may not have even spoken English). But really, I can't imagine why she wouldn't want a guy begging for train fare.
He's going places. Well, as soon as he can convince someone for a few quarters.
That scam is still around, the guy who needs fare money? I read they used to do that in NYC, some guy would wear good clothes and try to panhandle spare change. You would see him in the morning at the subway station and at night he would still be there, get some fare money. A good day would pull in lots of bucks, let's say $100 or more (and that's 1970s dollars).
ReplyDeleteThe new scam - as reported in the NY Times - is someone bumps into you and he drops his glasses on the pavement. "Hey, man, you broke my glasses!" I would make such a person put on those glasses to see if they would fit and also to see if he was able to walk around wearing them without bumping into something.
Anyway, Doug, congrats on a good short post, a slice of life observation. And you did it without tildes! [G]
Ray
That should've read:
ReplyDelete"..and at night he would still be there, trying to get some fare money."
My proofreading skills are on time delay lately. Not enough sunshine.
And before I forget, a comment I wanted to add to a previous post:
What bugs me? It's "it's" for its. It's its, not it's.
Ray
Working in downtown I see lots of panhandlers--most of whom actually look like they really did sleep on the street--but this was a particularly interesting level of inconsistency.
ReplyDeleteAnd are you suggesting there may need to be some sort of tilde intervention? Really, I can quit any time I want.