Hi all. I'm writing you from halfway up a mountain in Caburgua, Chile. I get here only by cablecar and I have a nice fire burning in the wood stove. It's colder up here on the mountain of course. But it is cozy and beautiful! I wish I could read this whole thread but--I don't have time.
Notebook.fix, you have my admiration. I have a few problems with the idea of "just give them your purse." I know others who do as well. One woman who, along with her husband, fought 3 men and neither of them lost their wallets--while 20 people stood by and watched (nary a single "Notebook.fix" type in THAT crowd) now carries a small can of mace or pepper spray in her hand whenever she is walking.
These are people like you, Notebook. They aren't putting up with it. A little gal I know--a forestry engineer of all things, for a woman--had an attempted robbery at knifepoint, refused to let them have her purse, raised her hand to fend off the knife and had to have her hand sewed up at the hospital. A man like you came along and took action and the robbers ran. That same little forestry engineer, not long ago, walking with her brother and sister in the subway tunnel, saw someone taking money out of her sister's purse. She tried to call her brother's attention, he was talking and didn't let himself be interrupted. so she chased the guy down, caught him just as he entered the open subte door and by then some more men--like you, Notebook, got involved, the guy fell at the subte door, Luisa right on top of him and she got her sister's money back just as the police arrived. He could have claimed SHE was robbing HIM but he was so mad and so busy cussing her, that he didn't deny the robbery.
You know, standing up for things can be dangerous. If someone invaded our country and we defended it, it would be dangerous. Doing the right thing can be dangerous and we CAN lose our lives. But I really have problems with all this advice if someone robs you, let them have what they want. What kind of place will we be living in if all the "Notebox.fix" types become cooperative with crime?.
I really question this attitude. I don't criticize it--but I question it big time. i hope if someone tries to take my purse on the street, you will attend my funeral because my friends are mostly back in the States and it will be a lonely one otherwise, because I don't think it is in me to just hand it over. I also watch on the subway for someone attempting to rob someone else since I lost my wallet on the subway--yes--out of a zipped-up purse. But I only lost it once. It has been attempted since then. But I'm wise now--but maybe not wise enough. Not gonna brag here! But Notebook.fix, and you others that are like him, I am cheering!
