Bootleg CD Stands

Everybody likes a police sting. That’s what drew me to one of the bootleg CD stand on Columbia road yesterday. There were some cops crowded around the makeshift booth, counting something. «This one’s real, this one’s fake… fake, fake, real… what do you think of this one, Walker?»
I peeked over the booth, and it turns out they were counting the tags from NBA merchandise, scrutinzing the holograms. Up the street there was a van parked curbside next to another booth, and a latina lady was sitting on the sidewalk, cradling some bootleg belt buckles and crying. «Everywhere there is music like this!» she blubbered at a plainclothes cop. «We are not the only ones!»…but he was unmoved. «Then we’ll arrest them, too. Just tell me where they are, m’am, and I’ll arrest them all.»
It was a big, messy scene, all up and down the block. I decided to make a last-​ditch effort to buy a CD, as I had been meaning to get my brother some bootlegs for Christmas. «Reggaeton Sexy» caught my eye, with its comely photo of Giselle…“Sir, this business is closed,” said a cop, emerging from a van…“Tomorrow?” I said innocently. «Sir, they won’t be open for a long time. These are pirated CD’s.»
He began to stack up the CD’s, and then another cop came up to me, holding a pile of counterfeit NFL knit caps. «See this corner?» he said. «There used to be a music store there. Right by the Mixtec. These people ran them into the ground. It’s bad for business, sir.»
Well, I don’t know what to think. I probably shouldn’t write about a defunct business on Unilocal,but this is still a current issue, and it tells me something: if you see a bootleg stand, take advantage while you can, because their days are numbered!