I spent today in tourist mode around London with the missus. The weather was amazing and people were out having a good time.
Then I noticed a small crowd around some people playing the cup and ball (shell) game. If you’re not familiar with this common street game – there are three upside-down cups and you have to guess which one has a ball under it. People were throwing in £20, sometimes £40 like it was nothing. I’m familiar with the way this scam works, you play the game with people you know, pretending you don’t, to build confidence in genuine on-lookers or potential marks.
It was obvious the ‘people’ in the immediate vicinity of the game were in on the scam. Firstly, no one is ever that happy to lose £40 and secondly, who the fuck wears double denim anymore?
I got closer and watched them play. Stuff like this interests me – especially since I knew what was going down. A few times the hustler wanted me to put down money. I denied and let him and his shills continue with the awful acting.
So that happened.
Also – I took a picture of a pigeon sitting next to me on a step. His uneasy glare gave me a great idea for a new photo album: ‘Animals looking at me taking pictures of them’.
