For all the hustlers out there, tell me your side gig, your project, your idea that'll break you through. Tell me about the time your scheme worked. It doesn't always have to be about the $$$, maybe you're running a long game around somebody standing in the way of you getting to know that special person, or trying to get the bartender to finally throw you some free drinks.
I don't have the attention span for a long-con but my short game is the stuff of legend.
- One such moment, that I am quite proud of was dealing with the finance lady at my dentist's office. This woman clearly did not like me and I didn't have insurance. I could tell women was giving me poor advice, trying to gouge me.
I observed two things about her; she like country music and any stupid thing on TV. I don't watch much to TV and I hate country music but I do like the show Leverage. Bingo.
I don't remember how I steered the conversation but it allowed me to say something to the effect of " Christian Kane. AmIrite?" She dropped what doing and stared at m e. ' Oh my GOD YES!"
She gushed about him for a few minutes and then immediately changed her tone and suddenly " remembered" a current deal for new patients.
- I had a thing for a friend of a roommate. I knew he didn't like me at all. How could he? He only spent time with me around his roommates friends who were insufferable and brought out the worst in me.
At some point he learned that I was into the same sort of games as he was and decided to run a table-top game for me. It went really well-though he was at least tipsy most of the time because Yeah, one of those adult men who couldn't handle being around women.
Our last game session was a Fri after Thanksgiving and I knew it'd be my last chance. I had to think quick; which is my specialty. I asked the roommate if I could stay the night and he agreed. While we were sitting on the couch ( the roommate, not the target) he noticed i had a headache, I got them often from a sore neck. Knowing full well that I had feelings for the other guy ( who is also a trained masseuse) he grinned saying " Maybe he can work on it for you * wink, wink* Little did he know that was exactly my plan.
And so when everyone else had gone to bed it was just and my target. I asked him for a neck massage. he explained that "everything is connected." and that to fix my neck he'd have to work on my shoulders, then back, ect.
At one point he got a little too into it and kissed me without asking. he felt horrible and pulled apologizing profusely. I grabbed him and pulled him back down and well, you don't need to know the details but he's now my husband of nearly 7 yrs.
While many of my stories are about trivial gains, they have gotten me through life. They are how I can end up in the middle of nowhere, no cash, no phone, no buss pass and get home before anyone notices I'm gone.