what a day!

So upon finishing my book (see previous post), I decided to head on down to Seattle Centre (Center?) and check out the Experience Music Project. It was pretty cool (though smaller than I expected), but I’ll talk about that in a sec. On my way out from EMP, I was held up by a couple of kids with a gun in the parking lot across the street, right outside my car. It was pretty freaky. One kid, with scraggly startings of a beard, had a small black gun in his hand (though not pointing at me, I certainly knew he had it). The other guy was clean-shaven. They both had on black capri-style jean short/pants, plain grey t-shirts, ball caps. The one without the gun had some kindof grey head-wrap thing under his cap, so both that and his cap were at angles. I think the price-sticker was still on his cap. The ball caps were black, or nearly, but I don’t know if they had any particular logo on them or not.

So I was walking to my car and I see these two across the lot (it’s a small, pretty open lot at a 5-street intersection), take note of them, and kept heading to my car. Normally, I take out my keys to unlock the door, but they were blocked by my camera, which was in the same pocket, so I hadn’t yet – I was just kinda fishing for them. Anyhoo. So I look up, and there’s these two, maybe 10 paces from me, the bearded guy showing me his gun, the other guy says to me ‘gimme your cash’ (or something like that – I didn’t really hear/understand him – but I understood well enough). So I immediately pull out my wallet, take out the cash that I have, hand it over. It was maybe 25-26$ USD, so not that much money. The guy without the gun took the cash, and they turned and headed up the street. I just kinda stood there for a moment, wallet in hand. They didn’t want my cards, they didn’t ask what else was in my pockets – thankfully, or I might be carless, cameraless, ID-less, rather than just out 25 bucks (even though it was my last 25 bucks). So I was pretty lucky, really. I’m not hurt, I didn’t lose anything important. But just kinda shook up. And a shitty thing to happen, to mar this so-far-great trip to Seattle. It was interesting talking to the police officer – a very friendly woman who was nice and reassuring, and put me completely at ease while I recounted what had happened to me to her.

ADD-ON:
So you know what really sucks? It’s that feeling of emasculation that comes with not being able to defend oneself. It’s that worry that if say, Leah, was there with me and they wanted to hurt her I would just capitulate. It’s that complete control over me by someone else. Just sucks. Angering. And of course, fear. I’ve wandered around, often alone, in all sorts of places I shouldn’t be, without incident. Now, will I be able to? Or will I see a couple of kids with a gun in every lot that I cross? That will probably fade in time, but I don’t think I’ll be heading back to downtown Seattle alone this trip.

4 Replies to “what a day!”

  1. holy shit steve!

    that must have been a horrible experience, i’m glad that they never pointed the gun at you. that would have been super scary. and i’m glad that it was over quickly without you getting hurt.

    crappy.

  2. holy shit steve!

    that must have been a horrible experience, i’m glad that they never pointed the gun at you. that would have been super scary. and i’m glad that it was over quickly without you getting hurt.

    crappy.

  3. Steve, I’m really glad you are ok.

    I was mugged in San Fran a few years back. It was freaky. No gun involved, but a really elaborate set up, which sometime I will recount for you in person as I don’t have the time to retell it here (it was *really elaborate*). Anyway, my wallet was what got stolen, and of course I had just cashed my last traveller’s cheque for $100 USD, whcih was my last $$ for the trip (with only money for groceries once I got home in my account).

    The girl I was with, my roommate at the time, ended up actually chasing the woman who stole the wallet down Market Street in what turned into a really bizarre scene that will certainly make it into the movie of my life 😉 In the end, she gave us the wallet back, sans $$. Overall I was pleased because now at least I had my VISA card, ID etc. But also really freaked out/scared/violated/upset. The whole thing was disconcerting to say the least.

    In hind sight, neither of us can believe that we chased this woman, as we had no idea whether or not she had a gun/weapon on her or where she was going. And we were both pretty shaken.

    I have really tried not to let it colour my view of San Fran, but it has made me really aware of pickpockets. The thing that was particularly strange was that (I could be wrong here), but I don’t think we looked like tourists. We had been in San Fran for about a week at the time and were just on the way from one person’s house to another, and really felt like we were “living” in the city. We weren’t in a “tourist” area, we were taking the bus with a bunch of commuters. Now I’m ultra aware of where my wallet is at all times even here in Vancouver, and I always immediately check all my valuables anytime anyone rubs up against me, or enters my personal space.

  4. Steve, I’m really glad you are ok.

    I was mugged in San Fran a few years back. It was freaky. No gun involved, but a really elaborate set up, which sometime I will recount for you in person as I don’t have the time to retell it here (it was *really elaborate*). Anyway, my wallet was what got stolen, and of course I had just cashed my last traveller’s cheque for $100 USD, whcih was my last $$ for the trip (with only money for groceries once I got home in my account).

    The girl I was with, my roommate at the time, ended up actually chasing the woman who stole the wallet down Market Street in what turned into a really bizarre scene that will certainly make it into the movie of my life 😉 In the end, she gave us the wallet back, sans $$. Overall I was pleased because now at least I had my VISA card, ID etc. But also really freaked out/scared/violated/upset. The whole thing was disconcerting to say the least.

    In hind sight, neither of us can believe that we chased this woman, as we had no idea whether or not she had a gun/weapon on her or where she was going. And we were both pretty shaken.

    I have really tried not to let it colour my view of San Fran, but it has made me really aware of pickpockets. The thing that was particularly strange was that (I could be wrong here), but I don’t think we looked like tourists. We had been in San Fran for about a week at the time and were just on the way from one person’s house to another, and really felt like we were “living” in the city. We weren’t in a “tourist” area, we were taking the bus with a bunch of commuters. Now I’m ultra aware of where my wallet is at all times even here in Vancouver, and I always immediately check all my valuables anytime anyone rubs up against me, or enters my personal space.

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