---
title: 'Rambling Man With a Torch in Sofia'
date: Mon, 04 Jan 2016 12:44:05 +0000
draft: false
categories: ['Bulgaria']
tags: ['Sofia']
slug: 'rambling-man-with-torch-sofia'
description: "A rambling man at the ATM threatens to burn me with — or sell me — a torch (I'm still not sure)."
---

"_STOP!_" he shouts, right as I'm about to take my money from the ATM in downtown Sofia. Alarmed, I turn around to find some bearded man standing right behind me, holding what — at first glance — looks like a gun. "_Holy shit,_" I think, "_am I about to get jacked?_"

{{< figure src="Butane_torch.jpg" caption="Butane torch (by Hustvedt, [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), via [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AButane_torch.jpg))" >}}

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"_Oh wait, WTF, that's not a gun,_" I say to myself, as I remove my card from the machine. The "weapon" appears to be a large, hand-held lighter, or maybe a butane torch. "_Is this guy going to burn me or something?!_" I think, waiting the longest three seconds of my life for the ATM to spit out my money. Me staring, him rambling, I hear the word _leva_ (the name of the Bulgarian currency) — maybe he's trying to sell it to me? Worst. Salesman. Ever. I grab my money, stuff it into my pocket, and walk away quickly.

I'm still not sure if I was in danger of getting burned (for example) or if he just wanted to sell the damn thing to me. It will probably be a while before I go back to that ATM again, though!