On the train.
If you have ever had the joy of riding the NYC subway, you sometimes come across some of the most interesting individuals. Many spin a tale of woe, trying to get you to let loose some change. Normally I don’t, however sometimes it gets me so mad, I do cause a scene.

One rainy afternoon, heading home, a fine gent comes into the car and says - "I'm homeless, I have no place to go, I need to eat, I have a kid I have to support" same old tired story.

I look at him and for someone who was homeless, his pants were crisp from being pressed, his sneakers were $150 Nikes and he looked remarkably clean and neat.

Now the transit authority, has posters up, saying don’t give handouts no matter how real or believably real a story may or may not be. So I call him on it.

I say “For someone who is homeless and all you are doing well”.

“What?” he says

“well you are wearing brand new sneakers that go for about $150, and your clothes are clean and all. I don’t think you are homeless, I think you are being a bum.”

“No way man, not me”

Well says I, if you were that hard up, why would you spend $150 on a pair of shoes, and not buy something like food.

Now several other people, including a couple who had some money in their hands, also start looking. This guy stammers and says, um, like my friend gave them to me.

Right….

So the guy bolts off the next station

A woman who was sitting next to me says – you know I have never looked at the shoes. So every time someone asks for some change, I usually look at their shoes first and their general appearance.
(Subway Riding the rails underground, Fri 19 Oct 2007, 2:13, 1 reply)

Haha!
I'm glad to not be the only bastard smug enough to call phony panhandlers out on the NYC subways.
( Rob T Firefly talked, like, William Shatner, on, Sat 20 Oct 2007, 18:52, closed)