Those kids on the subway

What's the deal with those kids who sell candy on the street and the subway? They say that they're with the Boys Club, raising money for their basketball team. Are they legit?

We've all heard it. A short, barely adolescent boy or girl barges into the car and shouts: "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen. I am selling candy to raise money for my basketball team's uniforms. Candy is a dollar each." And usually they only have the peanut M&Ms.

General consensus (and by that, we mean what the people on the Straphangers message boards say) is that it's a scam. A lot of these kids get candy in bulk and sell it at a profit, and make some pretty good money. Besides, by Gothamist's calculations, two or three basketball seasons have come and gone since we first saw one of these kids clamor into the car and demand our charity in exchange for chocolate.

Interestingly, if you've noticed, lately the kids have changed their tune: "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen. I will be honest with you. I am not selling candy for my basketball team. I am selling candy to keep myself out of trouble." It's hard to argue with honesty. We'd like it more if you had plain M&Ms left, though.

Tale of Two Cities shed some light on this very question just last week.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Erin O'Brien in Miscellaneous on April 15, 2004 4:14 PM

Comments [rss]

whypeanut?

they sell peanut m&m's because they do not melt as quickly in hot environments. like the fucking subway.

r.

*Exact* same thing here in Chicago - sports team, peanut M&M's only. So glad to know I'll have a taste of home when I move. :P

Lux

When I was in high school up in Buffalo, I had to sell candy bars to raise money for photo paper for my photo class. No lies.

I totally thought those kids were legit.

Leslita

haha--peanut m&m's! so true.

jake

for about three years, i've seen this one group of kids come in to cars on the 1/9 line, and say something along the lines of "we're selling m&m's to pay for our school's spring break trip to rome, italy." it always struck me as such an odd come on- i mean, it is more original that "we're selling to pay for basketball jerseys" or whatever, but i mean, they must really like going to rome. because by my count, they been there a few times.