Not Even Trying

If you were a crooked Romanian, would you think it was a good idea to set up shop in a poorly washed rent a cop uniform at the top of the escalators into the train station from the Metro and at the door to the ticket counter area and tell people they had to pay 2,000 lei? Does this seem like it's worth the effort? Like it could work? 2,000 lei is less than a dime.

Evidently it seemed like a good idea to some people. And maybe it is, since lots of people paid, including some British fellows who stayed in the same hostel I did. I told them I wasn't paying, and they just called out, "Lady . . . " and let me walk in and out as I pleased. Real cops would have busted my arrogant American butt.