A Metro Card Could Be the Key to Your Finacial Success

I did not know until I moved back to New York, that one could actually get on a subway car, call for every one's attention and get your bills paid!  This is true.  I saw it myself while riding the F train one day.  A man got on my car, cleared his throat rather loudly, expectorated and once we all settled down in polite silence, proceeded to tell us that he could not pay for his electric bill and how he had an 18 month old baby and could we please help out. He seemed like such a nice guy,too. He had what looked like very sensible blue jeans and a faded red tee-shirt that said simply, "Jordash". He gave an emotional speech about how ConEd refused to take into consideration that he was out of work and he was out of work because his last job refused to take into consideration that he was not aware that the term "coffee break" really was meant for just coffee and sometimes tea, but never, ever beverages drunk out of brown paper bags. One just got the feeling as we were sitting there that the whole world was against this guy and if we, the passengers of the F train, were not part of the solution, we were, in reality, part of the problem. He then proceeded to come around to each person with a Styrofoam take out container asking us all to "do our best."  And most of us did.  I'm sure he had enough to pay that inconsiderate ConEd bill with enough left over to hit up Grey's Papaya on the way home.  Then he exited our car and went on to the next, presumably to fund his cell phone bill. I imagine he then went on to the next car for his rent, the next for grocery money and so on. I was so glad for him that it was such a very long train.

I am very tempted after witnessing this brilliant display of entrepreneurialism, to get on a subway car, clear my throat and announce to the passengers, "AHEM! Kind ladies and Gentleman, I have two strapping young boys enrolled in NYU! I am so proud of them, but it is so expensive..."