I've mentioned in the past how some of the guys on my hockey team like to go out to IHOP after a game. We almost always end up at the same IHOP - the one closest to the rink - assuming the game is early enough to get there before they close. That late at night, we usually have the same waiter, and we've come to know him over the past year or so. Nice kid. We leave him a good tip and he doesn't seem to mind giving us stuff that isn't necessarily on the menu, and doesn't mind when we walk in 15 minutes before close.

When we were there last week, James, Jeff, Dean and I were finishing up our meals when he came over and said, "If you don't mind my asking, what do you all do for a living?" I thought it was cool he felt he knew us well enough to ask. We all told him, and when he realized we all made a comfortable amount of money, he proceeded to try to sell us on what was clearly a pyramid scheme. Wow, was than an uncomfortable moment. James immediately got up in sudden need of a restroom, and I was pinned on the other side of Jeff, unable to escape. Between Dean, Jeff and I, we all politely said no, but the kid was having problems taking no for an answer. He just kept pushing and pushing, and we had to pretty much back out of the restaurant with our hands on our wallets.

I had an old high school friend send me an e-mail with a similar pitch in it just a few months ago. I couldn't believe she could be so naieve to think one could get rich with such a scheme, and almost sent her an e-mail back saying, "Hey - you might want to check your account - it looks like someone is spamming people with a pyramid scheme with your e-mail address."

Has anyone else had similar experiences?