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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 2291789, member: 5833&quot;]In truth, it&#039;s a lot less scary these days than it used to be.&nbsp; Saw a well grown, well fed rat scampering along a subway platform the other day.&nbsp; There used to be some menacing panhandlers on the trains.&nbsp; Was mugged once, but seemed like nearly everyone I told afterward had their own much worse story.</p><p><br /></p><p>For weird but funny.&nbsp; There used to be a guy who panhandled regularly on a subway train I also took regularly who would enter the car through the emergency door, having already done this performance in the car before, &amp; fall to his knees &amp;, in a whining, droning voice, call out: my name is Robert &amp; I have AIDS (when it was poorly understood &amp; untreatable), SIDA in espagnol.&nbsp; I&#039;m hungry, I&#039;m homeless, &amp; I&#039;m asking...</p><p><br /></p><p>One time Robert was doing this routine &amp; another passenger seated near where he was kneeling stood up, held a hand out, palm down above Robert&#039;s head &amp; declaimed: If you have the disease you say you do, may God heal you...&nbsp; Strangely, Robert did not seem to want the help.</p><p><br /></p><p>He disappeared for a bit, then came back with a new approach, looking less scruffy, staying on his feet, that started: My name is Robert, &amp; I&#039;m not going to try to tell you that I have AIDS or some other disease...[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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