Back as an apprentice I had to take the first train to work (at 5 in the morning).
On my way to the train station on a Saturday I noticed I was being followed and unfortunately had nowhere to run to because everything was closed and I couldn't think of a safe place. So I decided to confront them.
I stopped, turned and saw two men following me.
Don't know if it was my imagination, but I thought they were menacing. I acted nonchalant and tried to make an assessment on the situation.
My gut told me they wanted to rob me.
So while I tried to come up with something I greeted them.
They seemed surprised and greeted me back.
I had some groceries in a bag with me (wanted to make a sandwich on my break) so I spun a story about me being in my way to my sick mother to bring her some groceries. I asked if they could please tell me the time, because I had to take a train to get to her and bring her the groceries and couldn't miss it.
The bigger one complied and told me it was ten to five. I had a five minute walk ahead and ten minutes to spare.
Then I acted as if I had forgotten some groceries home and had to check. I pulled the bread out and rummaged in my bag, then muttered that I had forgotten the cheese home and had no time to go back and no money left for this month to buy it because I was an apprentice and my wage was so low. It was kind of half lie because I was an apprentice with a really low income and had a sick mother, but she just had the flu.
Well, they looked me up and down while I tried to appear as broke as I possibly could and not worth the trouble.
And they kind of seemed unsure, so I plastered a half smile, wished them a nice day, turned and left for my train. After some steps I half turned and checked if they were following me and saw how the smaller one pocketed a knife. That's when I started to shake and everything seemed to blur.
I got to the train station and made it to my train safely.
God, I shook really bad and couldn't do anything for nearly half an hour.
Then I had to change the train and snapped out of it. On my next train I called the police to report everything but the man didn't believe me and discouraged me from coming in and report the incident because it was like out of a storybook and it seemed to him that I was lying.
On my way to the train station on a Saturday I noticed I was being followed and unfortunately had nowhere to run to because everything was closed and I couldn't think of a safe place. So I decided to confront them.
I stopped, turned and saw two men following me.
Don't know if it was my imagination, but I thought they were menacing. I acted nonchalant and tried to make an assessment on the situation.
My gut told me they wanted to rob me.
So while I tried to come up with something I greeted them.
They seemed surprised and greeted me back.
I had some groceries in a bag with me (wanted to make a sandwich on my break) so I spun a story about me being in my way to my sick mother to bring her some groceries. I asked if they could please tell me the time, because I had to take a train to get to her and bring her the groceries and couldn't miss it.
The bigger one complied and told me it was ten to five. I had a five minute walk ahead and ten minutes to spare.
Then I acted as if I had forgotten some groceries home and had to check. I pulled the bread out and rummaged in my bag, then muttered that I had forgotten the cheese home and had no time to go back and no money left for this month to buy it because I was an apprentice and my wage was so low. It was kind of half lie because I was an apprentice with a really low income and had a sick mother, but she just had the flu.
Well, they looked me up and down while I tried to appear as broke as I possibly could and not worth the trouble.
And they kind of seemed unsure, so I plastered a half smile, wished them a nice day, turned and left for my train. After some steps I half turned and checked if they were following me and saw how the smaller one pocketed a knife. That's when I started to shake and everything seemed to blur.
I got to the train station and made it to my train safely.
God, I shook really bad and couldn't do anything for nearly half an hour.
Then I had to change the train and snapped out of it. On my next train I called the police to report everything but the man didn't believe me and discouraged me from coming in and report the incident because it was like out of a storybook and it seemed to him that I was lying.
Well, on Wednesday I read in the news that on Monday a man was robbed on his way to work by two men and he was wounded with a knife (!!!) because he didn't comply.
But the criminals were cought pretty quick.
I just sat there and stared.
That stupid policeman didn't believe me!!!
But the criminals were cought pretty quick.
I just sat there and stared.
That stupid policeman didn't believe me!!!