> Today, I went shopping with a friend in downtown Chicago, and after we had finished a delicious lunch we walked out of the restaurant to see a hindu-esque man handing out hindu literature. Since I usually enjoy having chats with crazy people on the street, we approached him. He immediately handed me a 56 page treatise on incarnation and a similar book on Yoga to my friend. He pointed out important passages and pretty pictures of hare kryshnah. He went on to explain the basic ideas of his quasi-hindu religion including incarnation, vegetarianism (especially don't eat cow), kharma, etc. However, I began to feel a bit suspicious when he suddenly told me that I was a "beautiful person" out of the blue. At this, I shared a look with my friend, but then I went back to my earnest, interested look. Finally, we walked away with our new hindu books; he had also handed me "The Nectar of Instruction" and "Sri Isopanishad". As we were walking away, a man walking towards us looked at us and said "nice books" in a rude manner. We turned around to watch him approach the hindu guy, pat him on the back and say "nice work". Of course, we were absolutely seething to see this, so we ducked into a video store to discuss plans for some sort of revenge. . .

Wait, wait, wait!! Am I missing something here? A rather harmless guy gives you some religious handouts, he doesn't attempt to pressure you into attending any meetings or giving him money or even says anything creepy to you, and you start seething and discussing revenge on HIM because some OTHER guy acted weird?!

I agree that Guy 2 acted like a rude creep, but what makes you think he had anything to do with Guy 1? It sounds to me like he was some unconnected rude creep who was exerting his rude creepiness both on you AND on the Hindu guy.

Brunnen-"and I don't think it counts as a scam to get given free stuff. You can always throw it away"G