Metropolitan Diary: A Picky Subway Panhandler It was the summer of 1986. Riding the No. 1 subway north from 23rd Street, early on a Saturday morning, undeterred by the hour and the day, a lanky, extremely loud and very aggressive panhandler was making the rounds of his captive audience. Beginning with me. I was unprepared for what was to occur. Having only pennies upon my poor person, I offered them. To wit, at the top of his lungs, for the entire subway car to clearly hear - "I don't take no pennies!" - he shoved them back at me, and continued harassing the rest of the car.