These people also stand in front of businesses and open doors for customers in a ‘polite’ way in order to solicite a tip.
Yesterday, as I was coming out of the Union Square Barnes & Noble, I had a joker in dreadlocks hand me a ‘poem’ he had written. Like a dope I took it! Then I looked at him and said ‘You want money, don’t you?” He went into his Homey the Clown act, using $10 dollar words involving grants and fundraising. I handed the poem back to him and walked on.
This happens all the time in urban areas. Everyone gets fed up with it.
Kind of like those guys waiting outside the DC metro stations with a stack of free maps and wanting a 20 spot for their public service.