After training Kung Fu for 7 years, life seems to exist in a peaceful bubble for me. Hearing numerous fights on the Gold Coast and other places that I´ve been to fights seem to avoid me in some way or the other. It´s a rarity that a fight even happens near me.
This all changed with my first close encounter to a fight. It came against the untalented, world renowned hustlers of Barcelona, the infamous 3 Cup and ball guys.
For the people that haven´t heard of them, the con is simple. If you ever visit Barcelona they primarily congrigate in La Ramblas. The central tourist hub of the city.
The Game.
A guy begins shuffling a ball under 3 cups or in most cases match boxes. He shuffles them quickly as his team begin to surround him walking in from different areas. This usually consist of 3 or 4 people that pretend to play the game trying to gamble and win money. While his entourage surround him pretending to play handing €50 notes back and forth to each other pretending to play the circle begins to attract attention. This is when the con begins and the hustlers begin to work.
As onlookers walk by to see what the attraction is all about onlookers begin to see how easy it is to make money. They notice that people playing are winning €50 within seconds of a game that is very simple. At times the ball is even visible to which cup its under. Unknowingly though this is when in most cases onlookers are suckered into playing the game. They notice that other people are winning €50 easily without knowing that this is a group-con effort. The people winning are actually part of the con to entice onlookers to play, to show them how easy it is.
Unknowingly innocent onlookers play as the group-con member lures them to play often by saying ¨how do you want to play?¨, ¨do you want to play?¨, ¨watch me win?¨, or something similar. The group-con member plays. A demonstrative disgraceful (to watch) round with the gambler and wins very easily. ¨Look I won €50¨ he or even she will say. The group-con players cheer each other.
Watching and observing how simple this is the onlooker puts down €50. To play though individuals have to give the gambler €50 first. Probably because he knows that if he´s noticed cheating his team will deny it and block him into protection or that the Euros that he´s carrying are most probably colour photocopies. Once he´s received his 50 he begins his magic shuffling. The onlooker observes closely as to which ball the cup is under. The onlooker can also see which cup the ball is under and selects the cup. Then MAGIC the ball has disappeared, the ball is GONE. It´s not under the cup that everyone thought. If someone were to select the other cups which aren´t allowed there´s a 100% chance that neither of them contain the ball.
So where did the ball go?
I honestly don´t know the answer. Possibly he reshuffles or moves it in lightning speed once the cup containing it is selected. Possibly there is no cup at all once he receives the money from the innocent onlookers. Some say ensure to put your foot on it and flip the cup yourself once you select it but if he´s got your €50 and a group already surrounding you then what can you do. Locals know not to play the game. So if you´re in the situation in a foreign country and foreign language, not knowing your surroundings in most cases people would fear them back away losing their money completely.
Calling police is useless as they already know of the game and don´t do anything about it. These con men can easily pack and all walk separate ways as if they were ghosts. Katrina and I have gone through the effort to inform them and the Police officer told us that the game was illegal and not to play. We were both astounded that the Police officers didn´t do anything about it even though they were just around the corner. Then they wonder as to why so much crime exists in the city.
Then came my not to smart but honourable situation I put Katrina and myself in. Late one night after we went out to see the celebrations of the Champions League match we decided to walk into Plaza Catalunya.
After quite a boring night we were heading home until we saw the men begin there circles. It was the first time Katrina and I ventured out into the city at night time besides the time we went out with Mona and Brad. We had never seen so many circles of them. There were about 5 different circles playing within the span of 20 metres.
It was interesting to begin the circles form as some provide lollies to people walking by, in similar fashion to that you hear of child kidnappers. While playing its somewhat embarresing to watch the group-con members purposely win and lose against each other. Even handing each other money while they´re not even playing just to form the circle to attract attention. It gets so low to the point where the gamblers aren´t even watching while they play the game, just to see if people are watching or passing by.
My Word.
While passing by Katrina and I noticed a tourist lay €50 down. I grabbed his arm pulling him out of the circle telling him not to do so as it´s a scam. This was when everyone could have noticed the con-men as the group members all put there word in and tried to grab me. The situation ignited me and I wanted to hit all of them. I probably would have hit an innocent by stander not knowing who was in on the act. But it eventuated into nothing besides me raising my voice.
It felt good to be in that situation. Once I pushed one of them I felt his energy and inside of me I felt as if I could have taken on the 10 or so people around me con men or not. It was actually exciting to be in that situation and the nerves which I had always expected to be there considering it was my first time didn´t cross my mind nor agitate me any bid. If there were any nerves it came after when I considered of the repercussions with being in a foreign country. But in the spur of the moment I felt indistructable with the adrenalin passing through.
It probably was the best thing in the end that words were exchanged as a I had my backpack containing my passport, wallet and camera. The most part I had Katrina with me and she would be the last person I would want to have injured both mentally and physically from this situation.
In the end it was a good scenario to put myself through and is something that I needed to know in myself. I guess I´d discover more if any strikes were thrown. My Sifu always said to know what White is like you need to travel into the Black. To discover more about my mental strength I know I need to venture more into the Black, which is all part influence in my decision to travel.
No comments:
Post a Comment