Seventeen Years

Seventeen Years I have been here and this is the first time I have been mugged. Three teenage black kids. My fault for cycling down a dark alley after midnight. I got whacked in the leg with a bike lock but they didn't seem to get off on violence. They just wanted a fucking telephone. I walked away saying

"What the fuck do you think you are doing? Where do you think this is going to get you? You are better than this.."

One of them picked up my bike and started walking toward me. I took my bike and asked for my phone and my wallet which they gave me. I think they took a tenner.

"What is the fuking matter with you? Do I look rich?"

They started walking away from me.

"Are you going to call the Police?" one of them asked as he went under a tunnel in the distance.

"Of course I'm fucking not." I shouted.

Why not? Because they gave me my phone back? Why not? Who is their next victim tonight? Would they be as lucky as me? I felt sensible not falling for gagetry capitalism. I have a shit phone with numbers which are really valuable to me. I have a shit bike no one wants but it is always where I leave it whatever state I get myself in.

As I said in a post the other day- No philosophy. My leg has a big welt on it. I haven't had any adrenaline kick in. I feel sorry for these people. I wish there was something I could do.

It is strange because I had just been watching the excellent series City of Vice. Really frightening true stories from when London really was a dangerous place. I am angry but I feel lucky that they didn't have knives.

..