Austinist: I Am So Popular: This Is Not a Hustle

heather

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:44:09 -0600

Was his cane all jacked up? I'm pretty sure I helped this guy out once, too. I was feeling particularly charitable and after I realized he was a total bullshit artist, I just didn't care anymore. Crackhead or not, it was 100 degrees out and I didn't mind buying him a cold soda and giving him a ride to the bus stop. He did a much better job of acting blind with me, though, although he did slip up a few times. Reminded me of the fake deaf woman that used to wander around my friend's streets on the east side.

seth

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:02:57 -0600

Oh, come on, Spike! Laugh at yourself! BTW- clever way to sneak another Penis Monologues (Hyde Park Theater, Date TBA) plug into your response to my comment. Bravo! Seth

spikegillespie

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:52:28 -0600

Seth! Wow! It's been so long since I've had a chance to tell you to suck my cock! Nice to see the new year hasn't changed you any!

seth

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:02:21 -0600

Too bad Nate tried every hustle in the book EXCEPT the old, "My principal found a bullet at my highschool, so I'm just going to ditch school for the 66th time without consulting my mother before hand" hustle. That one seems to be quite effective. Seth

mdahmus

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:17:51 -0600

I, too, have run into this guy (not literally), although I was smart/mean enough not to pick him up. My 4 year old and I were driving back from the drugstore, and he called over for a ride to 12th/I-35 as we were waiting at the light at 38th/Speedway; I told him he was right next to a bus stop that would take him downtown. I didn't know he was a scam artist; though; I just wasn't going to pick up a rider with a kid in the car, no matter what. (you folks are crazy).

professorbrother

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:56:37 -0600

Ah yes, I have had a run in w/ Nate before... I was showing some visiting friends around the capital when a half-blind man approached us on Brazos and 12th. He asked for help locating St. Mary's (around the corner) and once he took my arm the story started: Just moved here from the mid-west...waiting on a check to clear...needed to find the Texas blind center in hopes of getting $18 to cover the hostel for the night...since it was getting late he was hoping St. Mary's was "open" to let him in... Sure enough St. Mary's wasn't open and Nate just straight up asked for money. Having zero cash on me I offered a ride to wherever he needed to go. My friend even offered a ride to the hostel to pay for the night! That didn't fly w/ him. He asked us to pray for him and we parted ways.

unclebusty

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:54:57 -0600

Oh. my. god. This same guy got in my car too. My first suspicion that he was not indeed blind, which I realized later in the car ride, was that he REACHED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE DOOR HANDLE. Again, that slipped by me at first. By the time his need to go somewhere became more distant, I started to get annoyed with my good deed and he said just drop me off over by 30th and Lamar. Pretty good bearings for someone who just got off a greyhound and is blind. As I approached Lamar, he said "Just go through the Light." Hallelujah, my car has healing powers, a bona-fide miracle wagon. Man that guy is ruining it for a whole lot of blind people. It has become my mission to call his bluff whenever I see him. Scream it from a mountain top, if you will. Left him in over by Windsor and 24th, a bad neighborhood to be a hustler if you ask me.