Sunday, March 18, 2012

Blog Post#3 Things might happen in Chicago.

 I usually took the bus to go to school and comeback home, but on that day, I found myself having no money on my possession and ended up waiting for Chris, who was my host dad from last year in Chicago, at the bus-stop to pick me up at 8 o'clock, when it only was about 6 and a half. "Look, Chris! I DO have my wallet! It was deep in my book bag!" I shouted out loud in the car, as holding up my wallet. The biggest laughter ever.

 It was the day before that he picked me up from the bus-stop. I and my friends were heading to the bus-stop together after the tennis practice. On the street that was close to the school, one kid-seemed like our school student and later found out, yes, he was- came up to one of my friends, John, and asked for a change of $10. John stopped and pulled out his wallet and tried to get 2 $5s while three of us(me and my friends) were keep walking. We had to turn around to see what was going on when John shouted 'Ow!'. What we saw next was that the kid, now becoming a mugger, snatching the wallet from John's hand and slowly walking towards us. Well, everything was so slow, but the slowest thing was my brain. Because John looked so calm and was saying "Hey, can I have it back, I mean, my wallet, dude." as slowly following him, I thought they were just kidding and know each other. But the thing just got real when he passed by me and whispered, "Fuck off". Then my brain briefed, 'Hey! John just got robbed!'. I see. I tried to chase the at least 6-foot-tall black guy, but ended up stopping myself when I saw him turning into a corner and there goes about 5~6 guys smoking something.

 The next day, I walked to the bus-stop alone after practice. I was so sensitive and nervous from the yesterday's fresh real situation. I safely got to the bus-stop, I still had about 10 minutes till the next bus comes. Therefore, I went into the nearby Walgreens and tried to get some snacks. When I walked in and saw three kids from my school, -I guess they were coming back from their football practice- keep glancing at me while whispering each other. I felt it. They were going to do something to me. I just kept walking around till they get out, just in case I misunderstood and they were not going to do anything, but hopefully just making fun of me or something. No, things were getting real. They kept following me for 15 minutes and all of a sudden, I found them gone. I felt so alive and walked to the cashier to pay for my M&M's. Well, then I was freaked out when I tried to get out my wallet from my bag, and saw them waiting for me by the door. 'Oh, God! Why me?' My heart was racing, my face got all red, my hands and stomach, even my jaw cramped. I thought to myself. 'If I take out my wallet right here, they will try to get me when I get out.' So what was the safest way? My brain worked pretty quickly. Quicker than any other time in my life. The point was not to let them know that I know what they will do. Therefore, I needed a safe way to get out of the building. Staying in the building and asking for help might have helped but that would've drawn too much attention and I couldn't assume that I might be safe at school. Here comes my Hollywood action. As I started crazily digging my bag to pretend finding my wallet, I exaggerated to make them notice me having no wallet. Well, I did it for pretty long time-or maybe I felt each second as hours and hours- but they still were waiting but looked a bit concerned. Then my last punchline burst out of my mouth. I said it as loud as I could. "Well! I'm sorry, sir! I DON'T THINK I HAVE MONEY RIGHT NOW, I might have left it at school." I was right. I secretly glanced at them over my shoulder and saw them going, "Well," "Shit," "……." as leaving the building. I slowly packed my bag again, and walked out like a boss.

 The problem was that, I seriously couldn't find my wallet even after that. I really might'd left it at school. I didn't feel like going back to school. Not only were  the streets too dangerous at night but also I was sure the security guards won't let me in. I called Chris, asked if he could pick me up. He told me that I had to wait till 8 P.M, since he was not home yet. That moment, waiting for the ride, was the time having the most mingled feelings of joy and sorrow ever. However, I found myself being the real winner when I eventually grabbed the wallet deep inside the bag in the car.

Well, I'm still confused. May I consider it as the luckiest day or a mere bad day?

2 comments:

  1. WOW! That must be the greastest/unluckiest day ever. Almost getting jumped and being able to sneakily and quickly think of someway to get out of it somehow. Even though you were still lucky to get out of that situation, I myself would never forget the day that would happen to me. Overall i like the suspense of this story and my favorite line was "and walked out like a boss."

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  2. Augustin: I really appreciate the opener (it creates a tone of danger/ menace), but frankly, my favorite part of your narrative is actually the last line: "Well, I'm still confused. May I consider it as the luckiest day or a mere bad day?" It reflect that level of philosophical quandary/ curiosity that I like from your musings.
    Good job!
    I will now refrain from offering further specifics-- because I used all my energy writing the new blog post, and direct you to it shamelessly :) :
    http://mrhslandolit.blogspot.com/2012/03/post-4-ah-those-wonderful-high-school.html

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