Davis California has its Crying Girl Con Artist.

Toronto has this young lady who's been doing something similar around downtown TTC Subway Station entrance for the past many years.

I don't know what to call her as she's never shares her name. So let's dub her Stranded Girl for now.

She invariably walks up to you with the saddest looking face, weary even. Initially your heart turns to jello as she tells you she has no money, is stranded, and is trying to get back to Hamilton.

In the early years she would say she was trying to get to Mississauga from downtown Toronto.

But considering it's only one TTC Token and one MiWay bus ticket total to get to downtown Mississauga, all for under 7 bucks, she changed her story, and upped her ask to between 20 and 30 bucks for the GO Bus or GO Train ticket money.

If you don't give her any money, she shares profanity with you, sometimes she tells you how horrible a person you are for not helping.

If you do give her money, she makes you feel guilty for giving so little. No matter the amount.

Offers of full cab fare on the spot are rejected. She wants the cash. She is very effective. Wait a little while and you'll see her counting bags full of coins she collected, before coming back to the subway entrance to ask people for more money.

Because she talks to so many people, and avoids eye contact, she can't remember that she spoke to you, even if was a few minutes ago. She will hit you up again and repeat the same story.

You will usually see here around The Annex, Yonge and Bloor, and St. Patrick Station.

Photos

Waiting outside St Patrick TTC Subway Station "Stranded Girl" doing her thing with passer-by