Tuesday, August 09, 2005

 

An armed robbery in the big city

It was a great day, at least that was the way it started out and continued until a single defining moment very late in the day. This particular day happened well over a year ago, but came back to me while I was watching a movie, which proved to be a trigger to make me remember. Ever had this kind of trigger happen to you? The thing you see in a TV program, a person you see, something which happens, and suddenly a vivid memory of something else comes flooding back and almost overwhelms you in the power of the memory. Well, it happened to me, the flood of a memory triggered by what, I do not know exactly, but it almost overwhelmed me anyway. I was walking home. The street was well it by streetlights in the business district of Bremerton, even though it was quite late at night. A man popped out in front of me, with a very large knife and demanded my wallet. I put up my hands and said "No, I'm not giving you my wallet. The money yes, but not the wallet." In a flash, this is what I was thinking, that I had no fear of being killed by this man. I found out while I was in the Navy that death has no fear for me. I've been near death several times and except for the very first time, I was not afraid to die. My mind set was such that being killed by this robber was no real threat to me. I would die or I would not die in the next few moments and I was again amazed that I was feeling absolutely no fear of death. Was I fearful that I would be hurt or be killed? Yes, you bet, I was fearful of being hurt, but I wasn't afraid; there is a BIG difference. My only weapon for defense would be my words, trying to reason with this guy. So, I said, "Look. There are video cameras on this street. You and I are going on tape at this very moment. There are several possibilities of what can come of this. You and I can simply walk away and no one has to know. You can fight with me and take my wallet and the next thing is I go to the cops, they pull the tapes and you will go to jail for a couple of years for armed robbery. You can hurt me and the same thing happens except you go away for 10 to 15 years for aggrevated assualt, or even attempted murder which gets 25 to life, or you can kill me and get the death penalty. No matter what you do, it all will be on tape and if you and I do not walk away now this minute, someone will be looking at these tapes and identify YOU, and eventually they will find you and you will suffer. It is hard to refute a video tape of a crime. So, are you willing to take a chance on the video tapes made on this street? Here's what I will do. I will take out my wallet which contains a grand total of $30 dollars and MY ID. I have no credit cards and no checks. I'll give you 10 dollars and we both walk away, otherwise you take your chances in court with the video of what is happening here, right now, as if I am alive, I will certainly go to the cops. Are you willing to chance a death penalty for killing me over $30? Are you willing to kill me to get 30 dollars and change? Think seriously about what you are going to do. I hand over a 10 dollar bill and we walk away or, you take your chances with a video of what is happening right now in a court of law. Decide... now. The video cameras are recording everything. I am walking on in 10 seconds. Decide." I waited. After a moment he said, "Give me the 10." Which I did, and we parted ways. This event happened a while back, over a year ago. I was lucky. This guy might very well have been willing to kill me over $30. I do not know there were video cameras on that street. The point was I made him believe there WERE cameras. So I made a deal, for a 10 dollar bill, and it worked, so I was lucky. I wonder about all of this, what could drive a man to rob another on a street at knifepoint, and then settle for a 10 dollar bill. I guess he wasn't such a bad guy after all. After all, he could have called my bluff and I probably would have ended up dead, for $30 which I was not going to willingly give up. I guess I was convincing in my argument. I'm still here. There are smart people and there are stupid people. This guy was being stupid whether he was or not, risking great suffering for a mere $30. I guess I've redefined what it is which makes people act in a stupid manner. Just for information purposes, I carry two wallets. One has $30 and no valid ID, but with a couple of cancelled credit cards I did not cut up when I cancelled the accounts. Let the guy try use an expired, cancelled credit card! The other has my military ID card, my real ID, the rest of the cash and the good credit cards. The one with the $30 is the one I am willing to sacrifice for a robber. He will get $30 and my expired California driver's license and my expired proof of insurance, all of which will do him NO good whatsoever since MY iD cards have my picture and what good is my expired insurance card with no picture ID and vehicle to match? No need to reveal I have another with things which could be used to rip me off big time. After all, my expired ID from an address I haven't lived at in 20 years is of NO immediate use and there is a $20 and a $10 bill to be had at best. Did I end up going to the police to report this incident? No, I didn't. I just let it all go. After all, I did not know for cetain we were on tape and if not, then it would have been my word against his and then again, how would they even FIND this guy? So, no report to the cops. It was easy to keep my word, for whatever that is worth. I told the guy we could just walk away and I would say nothing, so I said nothing, until now, to tell you, my readers.

Posted by: Rowlfe - at: 8/09/2005 09:20:00 AM

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