That's right. Watch out for the slap card people. Most are carrying cards that advertise paid sexual entertainment...yeah prostitutes. Some can be pushy, but if you ignore them and not make eye contact or speak to them, they pretty much just fade away. If you get suckered in, they've got all kinds of fast talking to toss your way. We've seen several pretty girls/couples get sucked into a conversation as we walk by. Last year, I was apparently propositioned, lol. I as indignant, thinking someone had just propositioned my guy who was holding hands with me as we walked into the local CVS, but no...Jason told me that I was the target. (Picture my deer-in-headlights look at THAT.) I went from being ticked, to WOW! Now that's something I could use in a story. LOL. Writers....everything is story material. .
There are also other hucksters to watch out for. The CD guys hawking their music. I usually fall prey to them at least once...yes I support the arts and trying to make it. That is until the 'artist' gets aggressive and snotty about the 'donation' for a CD that suddenly turns into copy with fewer songs because you didn't give him primo music store dollar price for his homemade burn copy. Yes, I do know that you can add your own graphics to a cd to make it look more professional. I also know what crappy Do It Yourself with no mass marketing appeal graphic artistry is too. Like I said, I support the arts... just don't get snotty when you are selling homemade CDs on crosswalk between hotels while standing between to several homeless people, and two slap card- tv show gangsta look alikes, and a Bumble Bee Transformer that looks like he lost the last battle with the Decepticons.
That brings me to the characters that come out at night for you to take your picture with. You can find a myriad of Elmos, the aforementioned Bumble Bees, a few decent looking Elvises, Showgirls, and yesterday was Bert and Ernie. Remember, these people do this for a living, so if you want to take your picture with them, be prepared to pay..
There are also musicians ranging in talent that set up periodically on the sidewalks. Yesterday, we saw a crappy guitarist, and a really involved dance revue that started up right in front of PINK'S. I'm assuming that they were good. They drew a crowd, had decent music, and we couldn't see a thing... I might have been impressed enough to leave a tip had I been in the thick of it. Last year there was a good electric keyboard guy and an Elvis further down the strip that had some talent.
There are also plenty of people hawking shows. I personally haven't bought from the hawkers, because we can find good, reputable ticket sellers online. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy your tickets via the theater or business that your show or tour is actually at.
The homeless. For the most part, I'm a bleeding heart and a sucker for a good story. Except for the homeless gig. It makes me feel sad that I'm not as sympathetic as I probably should be. But our town, back home in Texas, has at least one professional 'homeless' guy who takes his earning each day to the same bank that I use. Then yesterday I saw a kid laying on a manufactured bag of trash moaning until his buddy came up. Then he jumped up like the healthy, athletic teen that he really was and they started chatting about how the 'homeless' kid had switched bridges. Closer inspection showed that he was pretty clean with grungy 'LOOKING" clothes and his 'pillow trash back' was stuffed, artfully ripped, and filled with clean newspaper. So, no. I'm not very sympathetic when there are state run programs to offer these people. Jason is much more sympathetic and I appreciate him for it because it helps me keep my humanity and sympathy for the less fortunate. Still... wheelchairs and a cardboard sign are pretty easy to come by to play on your sympathy. So be careful.
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