[A fool and his Money]

Along the bay promenade of Bombay an Indian joined me and chatted to me. "how nice" I thought, I am surprised he wasn't begging. I will call him Bob. Suddenly up ahead 4 people jump onto the footpath and start to gamble. I stopped to look to see what was happening, but more so
because I couldn't manoeuvre around them, with Bob blocking my exit.

The dealer was slamming cards down fast and the players had to choose a correct card out of 3. Everyone is talking English, must be from different parts of India I thought. They certainly didn't seem to know each other... The dealer is distracted and Bob picks the cards up to check they are legitimate and marks the winning card by folding the corner. The game continues.

Bob is now always picking the winning card but the dealer keeps dealing super fast, looking for his luck to change. Soon Bob yells out 2000 (Rupees) and wins. He insists I take 'my' winnings but I protest; the dealer was already counting out the money from a thick wad of notes. The speed at which all this happens is quicker than you can read this story. No time to think, I could only rely on instinct.

I resist my 'winnings' and the game continues. Bob calls out 500 (10 Euro) and naturally wins. He insists again that I take 'my' winnings. Then they all do! Against all better judgement I took the note but at the same time turned on my heels to go. That got a reaction!

All of them said 'hey' in a defiance meaning I couldn't leave. One man grabbed my arm and I shrugged if off with a 'hey' in an equal defiance. Instinctively I gave the 500 back and I left unhindered.

I looked back and saw the 5 men huddled together on the beach wall, it was a scam! One man saw me and smiled, waving for me to come back. I raised my hand to extend a one-finger salute but a wire crossed in my brain at that same moment and a thumbs up was raised instead.

The men had chosen a strategically quiet spot on the promenade, hidden away from view from the main road by a bridge, it would have gotten very ugly had I got involved...it was so beautifully orchestrated I was impressed, and so thankful I had acted on the right instincts. Asia loves a good a scam!

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