NYC Crazy - Beware the Broken Booze Bottle Scam

Folks, be alert. Be alert! You just cannot trust any hobo or homeless vagabond that bumps into you on the street! They will rob you half blind if you're not careful. I don't know how pervasive this particular scam is, but I have seen it happen several times. 

If you're walking the streets of Manhattan and a bum looking person bumps into you and then drops his bottle of "liquor "and it breaks on the street - it is a scam! Don't go off and give the man money. Don't He bumped into you on purpose and since his "liquor" was in a black bag, it probably was just a glass bottle filled with water. Do not feel guilty! Do not argue with the man! Do not feel pressured! Do not feel manipulated! Do not give in!  Do not be afraid! Look the bum in the eye, tell him to scram, and that he shouldn't be drinking anyway! Then walk away folks, walk away! I am sure there are many honest bums on the street, but we've got some sneaky ones here in Manhattan! I almost said honest and hard working, but...yeah...I guess that wouldn't exactly add up. 

Last week, it happened in Midtown and the bum was screaming, cursing, and creating a scene. It looked as though he had chosen a group of unsuspecting tourists to prey upon. After some arguing, they moved to the side of the street where I can only assume they gave the bum money for his supposedly broken bottle of alcohol. Many months ago, a friend of mine experienced this same scenario in Harlem. A man bumped into her and a friend. His supposed bottle of alcohol, which was in a black plastic bag and of course could not actually be seen, dropped on the ground. He then demanded to be compensated. When they said no, he followed them and screamed at them. I believe he even threatened to go to the police. They eventually caved and gave the man money. 

The moral of the story is that real bums shouldn't even have any money to purchase booze and if they are it is a misappropriation of their funds that were probably given to them by some member of the generous working public. With that being said, all funds given to hobos and bums and homeless  should go to Egg McMuffins or some sort of food, not booze. So, in the event that they actually have a  liquor bottle and it actually gets broken - so be it. Just think of it as a sort of less expensive Promises rehab on the fly and the cheap for the homeless. Do not be fooled people! Do not be fooled! I have done my public service and have warned the public!