When a Beggar from the Future Boarded the Train

A few days ago, a young beggar boarded a New York City subway train with an unusual request for the passengers' generosity. "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for disturbing you, but I am here today to collect money for building a time machine. I haven't been able to secure funding, and my crowdfunding project has failed. Any money you give will help!"

The passengers laughed, and a few handed him a couple of dollars. Then at the next station, the same beggar boarded again—but in a slightly older and more faded version. He wore the same baseball cap, but his was worn and old. Unlike the original beggar, he had grown a beard. Besides those differences, the two looked exactly the same. "Stop, stop!" he yelled. "Ladies and gentlemen, please don't give money to this man. Don't let him finish the time machine. Life will be terrible once we start time traveling." He approached the first beggar and grabbed him by the collar. "Look at me! I'm your future self! You have to believe me!"

The beggar meets his future self

A couple sitting on the train burst into laughter and tried to donate to the time machine developer anyway. But then, at the next stop, the couple's future versions got on the train! "Don't give this man money! Time travel will ruin our lives!" A guy sitting nearby laughed hysterically. "How funny, they're all twins!" But at the next station, a guy who looked exactly like him boarded... "They're not twins! It's real! Don't give this guy money!" By this point, the whole car was laughing and cheering. Four people arguing with four others claiming to be their 'future versions'...

And what's the truth behind the story? After passengers on several trains reported the same experience on their trips, the cat was out of the bag: A New York company specializing in public pranks was behind the story. The 'present and future versions' were merely identical twins hired to play a role in this prank attempt – and they succeeded, at least, in making the subway ride more interesting than ever for the passengers.