I pull in to the QT at 51st and Mingo today and see a small SUV with out-of-state plates pulling up weirdly at an angle. When I park she is pulled up facing my passenger door. I get out and start to walk in when she honks at me. A middle-aged woman was driving this SUV and immediately started in on a story about how her husband is at the VA clinic, they are from out of state and in a world of hurt, they both have diabetes, both can barely walk, etc. Everything seemed very rehearsed and followed the pattern of the many other times I've been approached like this. Her husband was a Vietnam Vet, and immediately upon telling me about him she showed me some sort of photo ID with a man on it for about a split second. When she got to the part about barely walking, she pulled out a cane to show me. Closes with how they only have $0.15 in their account and asks for any money I could give. I was not given a chance to speak until her story was complete.
Now she may have been legit, and if she was, sorry lady and I wish you and your husband the best. It's just that I didn't fall off the proverbial turnip truck and her story, with its rehearsed structure and props (ID, cane) set off the scam alarm in my head. (I've found they usually have a prop, like a gas can or something. I've even been approached by people who said they were on empty and needed a bit of gas to get a few miles home...as they sat in their idling car they drove up next to me in. Not kidding.)
I told her I had no cash and wished her good luck. Did not see her when I came out. Honestly if she wouldn't have been trying so hard to sell me I probably would have given her some cash. I also seem to get approached by these kind of people fairly often; I assume because I look like an Opie Taylor with no street smarts. That belies the fact I often find myself in somewhat sketchy areas for work or otherwise and I've heard most of it before, in several cities - and it always follows a similar script.
You guys? Tulsa street hustles you have heard?
Now she may have been legit, and if she was, sorry lady and I wish you and your husband the best. It's just that I didn't fall off the proverbial turnip truck and her story, with its rehearsed structure and props (ID, cane) set off the scam alarm in my head. (I've found they usually have a prop, like a gas can or something. I've even been approached by people who said they were on empty and needed a bit of gas to get a few miles home...as they sat in their idling car they drove up next to me in. Not kidding.)
I told her I had no cash and wished her good luck. Did not see her when I came out. Honestly if she wouldn't have been trying so hard to sell me I probably would have given her some cash. I also seem to get approached by these kind of people fairly often; I assume because I look like an Opie Taylor with no street smarts. That belies the fact I often find myself in somewhat sketchy areas for work or otherwise and I've heard most of it before, in several cities - and it always follows a similar script.
You guys? Tulsa street hustles you have heard?