Scam

OK so it's currently 3:30 in the morning which is usually prime homework time for me, however while translating a delightful Chinese story on rickshaws and the colorful characters who drive (pull?) them, I was reminded of a quick story I'd like to share with you all (I'm kinda curious if I'll manage to actually keep this brief or if this will turn into another rambling diatribe. Here we go!). So while abroad, I had several visitors who came to experience the culture because it's awesome. One of those was an ex-gf of mine (I'm loathe to use names unless necessary, nothing personal against her, we're still friends, I just feel like it gets too personal if I name drop here). Now, being a female, she obviously had several large bags with not only the usual feminine things they travel with, but also the loads of shit she bought because she was in China and everything is wicked cheap there (yay free market communism!). After riding the cab to the airport, a man quickly rushed up to the cab, opened up the door and offered to take her bags inside. I figured this man was not offering his services out of altruism, but his cart saved me the effort of lugging the bags (and we all know I'm not exactly one to spend hours benching in the weightroom) so I figured what's a few kuai amongst friends and didn't bother to ask him the cost? Now, I went to the airport multiple times. Twice back in 2003 during my first beijing trip, then at least another 5-6 times in my last trip, between picking people up and traveling myself. The point being, I know the airport. We follow this man and get in an elevator (should've been the first sign, I knew we didn't need an elevator, it's a straight walk from the cab drop off area to the waiting pen). We go down several floors. I, in my infinite wisdom, think he's taking us some back way to avoid the lines. Real smart. So then we walk through a parking garage that I didn't even know existed until we reach another elevator. He hits the button then tells us to go up two flights and we'll be in the airport. I immediately realize this guy took us on a roundabout route for no apparent reason and I was going to have to carry the bags at least part of the way after all. I was not pleased. I took out 30 kuai (around $4US), which I figured was a generous tip considering he took us nowhere convenient. He counted the money then told me I still owed him. I didn't understand what he was saying at first (common theme on the trip) so I kindly asked him to repeat himself. He told me I actually owed him 100 kuai (about $8-9US). I laughed and told him no. He then told me I had to pay him the 100 because that's the rate and he claimed he's already told me this. He hadn't. So I laughed again (note to self: probably not a great idea to have a condescending attitude to a man trying to rip you off in a secluded portion of a foreign airport) and told him I wasn't giving him anymore. He then gave the standard speech about how I was American and could afford the extra money (whenever a Chinese person wants [more] money from you, you will hear that because you're American you can afford it, not quite realizing not everyone here is Bill Gates) and handed me some sort of receipt that said 100 kuai on it, which clearly had nothing to do with his services. I told him no and if he really thought the standard rate was 100 kuai, I was more than happy to call a police officer and if the cop told me I owed him the money, I'd pay. He told me not to call and that I needed to pay. He clearly didn't like the idea of me calling the cops so I decided to keep pushing that issue, even pulling out my cell phone (though I had absolutely no clue what the number for the police was). Finally he realized I wasn't a dumb foreigner and a) knew Chinese and b) wouldn't pay unless the law told me to, he counted the 30 again, sighed, and walked away defeated. Score one for the good guys!