Lunchtime Shell Game on 38 Geary
On Thursday, 13 May, a few of the tech team» at my work took cabs to Dong Baek, located in the Tenderloin’s northeastern section.1
- John
- Jonathon
- Leslie
- Jeffrey
- Sung
- Jack
Lunch was great, better than I expected.2 I had seafood 짬뽕», which wasn’t as spicy as the double-chilies on the menu promised. The 반찬» was delicious.
The trip out and the meal itself took more time than Jeffrey and I had to make our next meeting. We settled the table’s bill (fast) and when we hit the street, good ol’ 38 Geary was trundling to the stop right in front of the restaurant.
All aboard and there we were, smack in the back with a crew running a shell game. Who could have guessed we’d find a shell game in the middle of a lunchtime bus commute to SF’s financial district?
The Play
(Faces of the operator and suspected shills pixelated.)
The operator kept trying to pull us, Leslie especially, into the game. The first time Leslie found the pea, the operator tendered a C-spot her way. Leslie declined, too polite, wary, and well-paid to go for the bait. The operator tried a few more times with smaller bills. I breathed a thousand sighs of relief when we’d gotten to Third and Market, one stop early but close enough to hoof it.
Our last stop was a yogurt shop on either Kearny or Montgomery, but I’d had plenty to eat for lunch.
