Would you lick the subway wall for.....?

As I noted in my vacation posts, we used the subway almost exclusively as our mode of transportation while in NYC. This mode was second only to our feet. Anyway, as we were waiting for a train one day, Steve began his routine of asking Erica "would you do this for XX dollars?" type of questions. One time he offered her $500 if she'd eat a fairly large mushroom -- not a portebella but a big regular one. She declined...and I breathed a sigh of relief. Then again, she was 8. Now she'd do it in a heartbeat so he has to increase the stakes.

Back to NYC. He asked if she'd lick the subway wall for $500. She said no. He went up to $1,000. She said no. He then went up to $5,000 and I held my breath for fear she'd say yes. She declined. I exhaled. What in the world did he think he was doing? Did he have a money tree somewhere I knew nothing about? So, rather than continue to actually offer money we'd be obligated to pay if she said yes, he finally asked how much it would take for her to do it. I don't remember the exact amount but I recall thinking I wouldn't do it for that. Then again, I'd waver at $500,000 because it's just so nasty.

Shortly after we got back I told this story to cute Molly who works upstairs. She has a reputation for accepting bribes to do weird, crazy stuff for money (not immoral mind you, just weird like this). When I told her the offer, her eyes lit up and she didn't even flinch as she exclaimed "YES! I'd do it for $5,000 - that's a LOT of money!"

Well, she returned yesterday from visiting her brother in NYC and she took this picture just for little 'ol me. As I close, I must do so with the disclaimer that she didn't really lick the wall, probably because I hadn't actually offered her the money. She emailed me saying, "I would have been paying myself to do it and that just doesn’t seem worthwhile." She went on to say, "I chose a particularly gross part of that wall, so it would have had to be quite a bit – at least $15."

You should have done it Molly. I would've paid $15. I'm good for it. But I'd want proof.