[westcoastinvader]

Dunbar,

Atlantic City in the winter of 1979-1980. What a depressing place Atlantic City was in those windblown nights of less than a handful of casinos to offer.

And streetwalkers by the casinos in those years clad in undergarments and short fur coats willing to offer more, for less. In the winter cold

Those weren't the days!



Intriguing article you wrote, and thanks for sharing. I personally would have been avoiding the guy as if he were a potentially criminally insane panhandler, but I sure understand and accept the "check it out" mentality.

My guard is up at all times in gambling situations.

When I was about 22 I got shilled and hoodwinked out of about $60 by two NYC grandfatherly types working the dog tracks in Miami. Just a few years later though, I admired their con men artistry. They staged a little loud argument and tussle in front of me, then one asked for my help.....in confidence. He helped me pick a winner one race, and brought me the winnings after he bet my $$ for "us." Then the next race he asked me to load up ($60+ bucks) on a sure bet he knew about, and I gave him the money to bet for "us" again. I never saw the guy again after his buddy distracted me as my $$ was going to the window. "Our" bet won the race, too.

I imagined these guys had been working this con on and off for quite a few years.

I figure $60 is less than the cost of a NY Broadway show, so it was a pretty inexpensive lesson.