Friday, September 24, 2010

A little criminal etiquette

"You don't have to run away!"

That's what the would-be mugger said to me today after demanding that I give him my cellphone and wallet. He would have been sorely disappointed with both: my cellphone is rather ancient and the silver paint is flaking off, while my wallet contained a few dollars in loose change and whatever was left after I paid the gas bill, a bank card for an account that currently has less than R$30, a useless Visa cash card (almost used up and won't work anymore in Brazil!) and a credit card that I would have canceled seconds later.

I didn't oblige and was able to dart into traffic, crossing to the other side of the street. As he pedaled away, he shouted that over his shoulder.

I'm not sure what he meant.

I don't have to run away? Would he have preferred that I beat him over the head with my rhinestone flip-flop? Smack him with my purse? Talk about the change in the weather while digging through the detrius in my bags to reach the wallet?

When you are attempting to rob someone, you really need to pick sides. Do you want to take their stuff or do you want to be their friend? Because you can't have it both ways.

5 comments:

Kimbra Sue said...

Wow, that's a crazy come back. I hope it made him feel better!

rebecca said...

did you hear about the guy who mugged andre and then gave him back his cell phone and enough money to get home on the bus?!

--jenna said...

No, I didn't hear that story! Did André have a conversation with the dude, or did he just do it out of the kindness of his heart???

anne said...

maybe he thought you were pretty and wanted to chat longer :)

glad you nipped away to safety!

rebecca said...

it was raining and the guy asked to walk with andre under his umbrella from the metro to jacare. when they were about to part ways, the guy had the nerve to mug him. but i guess he felt bad and gave back two bucks for the bus.