On the way back from lunch, we passed the usual bunch of beggars on the I-90 / Sullivan Road interchange.

I’m not insensitive to the homeless or to the plight they have, but the crew who work this chunk of road are scammers. They work shifts as a team. One will be on each corner of where the interstate dumps out to the Valley mall. They rotate every so often so that it appears that someone new is there.

When they’re done with a hard day of work, they get into nice cars (parked a few blocks off) and drive home. I’ve yet to follow one home, but I have seen the cars. Way nicer than I have, to be sure.

Usually, they just stand there with a sign. “Disabled Vet”, “Need money to get to Seattle for job”, etc. Sometimes they have props. A dog is a favorite “Need food for my dog” (why the fuck do you have a dog if you cant feed it? That’s crule!). BDU’s are a standard (fatigues… to give the illusion that they are vets).

Who falls for that? I was in the Army… you don’t see me walking around in my old uniform. I don’t even have it any more (I sold it at a garage sale). One of these fuckers is probobly walking around in MY uniform (and making more money, per month, begging than I ever did when I was in the army).

Anyway, today… one of them was doing something new. He was juggling… and doing a damn good job at it.

I almost expected the next guy down the road to have this sign: