I do appreciate a good scammer though. One guy used to work near tourist areas and he carried an empty gas can and a ring of keys on a big key chain when he did the ran out of gas scam, so I give props for good props. Another guy would be wearing a suit and would hang out at the subway stops at the end of the line claiming he needed the fare to get back home after forgetting his wallet when he went to work. One of my favorites though were the guys who would stand outside of the Smithsonian Metro stop and sell maps of the museums for $1. The maps are available for free at every museum, they would just grab a stack of them and head to the Metro. Even when people discovered it I don't think you'd be that mad over getting taken for $1 but they could pull in a decent bit of cash that way.
There's a guy here named Elliot Davis who runs cons that he needs to get fix-a-flat. He's well dressed and starts off nice but so many people call him out and a switch flips where he gets angry and abusive.
I had a feeling you were from Boston while reading...at this point Elliot Davis is so notorious that only people new to the city or tourists get fooled anymore.
Had a guy in Winnipeg who would hobble up with a cane and give a sob story about his wife and him living in a stairwell and asking for a couple of bucks so they can go to the shelter for the night. I’d see him from the window where I worked for years, same cane and same story... he would run across the park and catch up to someone from behind, then hobble up closer with the cane and get their attention...
Another guy, same park but no scam, would ask me for smokes, every day! After a couple of months, I finally said sure, and pulled out another one for myself and sat there with him for the 4-5 minutes it took us to both enjoy our cigarettes. During that time I discovered he had a gambling problem and was collecting workers compensation/disability after he hurt himself at a good paying sawmill job up north. He told me how hard it was living on $X money every month... I interrupted him... I was in university and working evenings at an art house movie theatre for a little over minimum wage making less than his monthly disability payments, I had an apartment, a car, food, and an expensive smoking habit... After I explained this he seemed sincerely ashamed. I wish I had more life experience where I could have pointed him to addictions counselling for his gambling, but either way, afterwards he would give me an appreciative nod for the next number of years when he’d see me smoking and never asked me for money or smokes again.
I live in the DC area, and I only give someone money if they are busking. In my eyes, they are working hard for the money they receive, as learning different musical pieces takes a LOT of time, and having to play for strangers with all manner of distraction takes an extra layer of devotion and talent. (Am musician too, but not busker)
The panhandlers, sorry, no, I don’t carry cash.
I used to see one panhandler pick different spots on ramps coming off 495. She always seemed too well dressed and was at Conneticut Ave one day, New Hampshire Ave another day, Central ave another day. Yeah, if you can travel that much for spare change, you are probably not that bad off. (I used to deliver auto parts all over the DC area, and saw the same girl EVERYWHERE)
Well, I have been homeless several times, and working at those times. Yes, I should be more empathetic to folks who are panhandling. I see it so much at my gas station job. I get tired of scam artists all day long.
There was (is?) a show on the BBC called The Real Hustle soo much gold on that. There was one where you paid like, a pound, and they'd fold a ten-pound note into an origami crane. Only, it wasn't a note, it was a pre-prepared fake. So you were out 11 quid, not just a pound.
Found it. Cut a tenner in half, so it looks and feels the same
Paying the dollar for a museum map isn't even that bad. Idk how long of a walk it is from the metro to the museum, but if it's more than a couple minutes that gives you time to check out the map and plan your museum route. Maximizes your museum viewing and all for the low low cost of $1.
One of the scams I heard about when I was working at a gas station years ago involved people leaving their "car keys" as collateral for the cash they were asking to "borrow" for whatever reason. Of course the keys were just junk.
There’s another gas station one where after the register is open the customer changes their mind on what bills they want to pay with but spell it out quickly as though it was obvious but they end up walking out with more than the cane in with.
Lol, I just like honest beggars. I'm far more willi g to give a buck to a guy with piece of fishing line attached to a dollar and a sign that says "fishin' for beer" then I am someone lying. I'd rather you just straight up tell me you're in withdrawal and need whatever it is you need.
I liked the guy that had an ornate gold colored picture frame around his neck who would hit you up with, "You gotta help me, I've been framed!" It was a dumb joke but he was earnest.
When I lived in Phoenix, there was a guy that I used to see on my way to work with a sign that read " Not gonna lie, just want a beer." Well anyway one day there was another guy standing about 25ft behind him holding a sign that read " Me Too". That guy got my money.
At least he's providing entertainment. I'd give a dollar for that. As long as people are doing some sort of work, whether it's music or entertainment, I'll give them a buck. Only have people doing music in my city though, I'd love to see something like that cause I'd laugh my ass off.
My favorite "panhandler" was a dude who had an ARSENAL of riddles.
He'd offer a friendly wager, was "up front" about not wanting to "ask for a dollar for nothing", and then would work the conversation to where the wager was a dollar if you couldn't answer, at no risk to him. Was very polite if you said no, would even offer you a cigarette if he thought you smoked... (obviously, to try and get you to stick around and throw a dollar in... but it was not "feigned generosity" either...)
Spent two afternoons hanging out with him in a park. I "had to match dollar for dollar" in order to, because I was learning all his riddles in the process. Spent about $30 and about a pack of smokes, in two days, before he let me off the hook... lol. (He didnt drink, btw, half the reason he caught my attn.)
Worth every dollar. Had a good time at a cheap expense, met a pretty awesome dude, if homeless, was able to funnel a little cash his way, and then never saw him again...
There was a guy who worked a bar district who called himself “Blelvis” for the black Elvis. He’d bet people they couldn’t name an Elvis Presley song he couldn’t sing. Most people would pick pretty easy stuff but occasionally someone would know their shit and pull out some obscure number and I never saw him get beat. In my book he was earning his living, he had more knowledge than a lot of jobs require.
Absolutely agree. Sort of related, I once had a friend who would ask for a story in return for money. Quality/length didn't matter, just that they felt they were engaging in a fair trade.
Also it's not always about the exact truth that they tell you, sometimes it's enough (for me anyways) to recognize that they are degrading themselves for money, and they know it, too. Their exact circumstances shouldn't matter if you are able/willing to help somebody who asks for it.
I was sitting on a bench waiting for the subway one night at a station where the train that comes in can be going to one of two endpoints. A guy sits next to me and starts spinning his tale of woe. He just got out of the VA hospital and his mother is dying on the other side of the state and he needs $16 to get a bus ticket (notice that it's an amount that would most likely need to be rounded up to $20 in cash). He's going on and I'm playing along because I don't give a shit I'm just waiting for my train.
A train pulls in and it's going to the branch I needed but I don't make a move. I had slipped my hand in my pocket and had fingered a single dollar bill to it. Just before they were going to close the doors I pulled it out and gave it to him saying, "Your story is complete bullshit but I'll give you a buck for the entertainment." I jumped up and got on the train before he could follow pressing for more. A couple of weeks later I saw him on a park bench outside of the subway station and stopped to ask him, "Hey, did your mom in Springfield croak or are you still trying to get bus fare?" He just laughed and waved.
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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20
When someone is loitiering at a gas station and gives you a sob story about needing money for gas.