So all the NY papers (and several of the networks) are reporting that a woman named Merrie Harris was asked by a pan handler for money outside of a club in SoHo.
No Story so far.
She was out of cash and advised the gentleman that all she had was her Platinum Amex.
No Story so far.
The Fellow asked if he could use the card to purchase Cigarettes and Vitamin Water.
No Story so Far.
She gave him the card.
Might be a story here…
He purchased Vitamin water and Cigarettes and returned her card.
So the story is that this fellow asked if he could do something, got permission and then did what he said he would do.
I was right – no story here. HOWEVER . . .
There are two other stories here that are NOT being reported:
#1 – Cigarettes and Vitamin Water in SoHo can run you about twelve thousand dollars so this was a VERY GENEROUS donation to a Pan Handler.
#2 – A bum came into a deli in SoHO and purchased Vitamin water and Cigarettes with an Amex Platinum Card. The register jockey just sorta shook his head in disgust and decided that all homeless folks are scam artists so now he will never give a buck to another one as long as he walks the concrete. He told three friends who told nine more and now there is an urban legend about wealthy pan handlers too lazy to work ripping off the public and running up high credit card balances on fancy water and carcinogens.