Fighter

So I have this great boss. She is extremely intelligent, funny, caring, and enjoys taking us out for a good happy hour every now and then. But one thing that she is notorious for is turning her work in to the court at the very last moment possible. She is NEVER late, but she's like I was in college: I'll get it in on time, but not a moment sooner if I don't have to. We have procrastination down to an art form.

Often we cut it so close that she has to walk whatever needs to be turned in down to the court, leaving our office at 3:30 when the court closes at 4:00. Like I said, nothing is EVER late. We know how to work this. So one day, she needs to get something turned into the court, but she has a consultation at 3:00 and will not be able to run it down there herself. So I am put up to the task of delivering it by 4:00. This will be my first time turning anything in on her behalf but I know where the court is, only a 15 minute walk away. Easy.

So I am walking along one of the busiest streets in Portland, 5th Avenue, at 3:45 in the afternoon, and am one block from the court when I feel a slight pull near my arm and suddenly I am being wrestled with, with what I quickly realize is someone who is trying to take my purse! I am in complete shock as I cling to my purse for dear life as this guy is trying to yank it from my arms. I can't understand what is going on, but there is no WAY someone is getting this from me! It's got my life in it! As I comprehend that I'm getting mugged, I cling to it even tighter. This is MINE. I feel myself starting to fall slowly backwards as I try to get away from this asshole but am kept from falling completely over because the mugger still is trying hard to get my purse from me. I suddenly vaguely realize that this guy could have a weapon. I finally find my voice and yell, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" And it dawns on our onlookers that I am being attacked. Finally some guy comes to my rescue and pulls him off of me and I fall completely to the ground. I stare as the guy tries to fight him, but the mugger twists away and starts walking quickly down the street. I don't think I can move.

My rescuer and a bunch of other people come instantly towards me. One gives me their hand and helps me up. "Are you okay?!" Several people ask me. I analyze myself. I'm not hurt, I still have my purse (thank god!) but I'm shaking.

"I think so." I say, and I look around at the small group huddled around me. "This never happens!" I shriek. "How can that happen?"

"I know." The guy says. "I saw him on you but at first I just thought he was your friend, but then you started yelling and I knew something wasn't right." It seems that my onlookers were in just as much disbelief as I was that something like this would actually happen HERE. In PORTLAND. In the middle of the day on a busy street. I assume he's some white meth head who just had a bad court date and was far from thinking about what was smart or sane. "This never happens." I repeat again. I can't stop saying it.

Suddenly, I'm pissed. I've traveled through Mexico and all over Europe, and this never happened. I was prepared and ready for it, but it had never happened. And then I'm home, in MY city, completely unsuspecting and feeling safe, and THAT is when someone decides to try and mug me?! I feel totally betrayed. But then the more I think about it, the more I realize that if this could happen here, in my home, it could happen anywhere. So if bad things could happen anywhere, what's keeping me from traveling everywhere? I kind of feel freed from the preconception that home is safe and everywhere else is a potential hazard. Everywhere has it's risks, and as long as you are aware of it, you could go anywhere. Maybe it's my traumatized brain talking, but it makes sense. At least now I know that I will fight for what's important (my purse) instead of getting scared and letting go (of my purse).

Someone has called the police, and the guy that helped me and a woman who witnessed everything have decided to stay and talk to the police with me. I look down and miraculously, the documents my boss wanted me to turn in are still in one piece, clutched in my right hand. Suddenly, I panic. What time is it?! I look at the clock and it says 3:50. "I have to go!" I say. My two companions stare at me. "I have to turn this in before 4:00, in THAT building. My boss will kill me!" I point to a building a block away. I look at them, and they seem confused. "Stay right here, I'll be right back!" I say, and rush off down the road to the court.

I enter the building, still shaking, and go straight towards the elevators. A woman walking through the building looks at me, points, and says, "You're the girl that got attacked!" Yeah, you're right. Thanks woman for all your help out there! Glad to know that you watched the whole thing but did nothing. "Yeah," I say, give a little smile, and slam the elevator button again.

I end up getting the petition turned in a few minutes before 4:00, phew! I go back outside and see that the two people I left behind are still standing there, but still no police. I see a police car drive by, but they don't stop. I wait there for about 5 more minutes, but after 20 minutes of someone calling the police and still no show, I don't stay. I can't just stand around there, its starting to really frustrate me. What if my purse had been stolen?! Some help the police would have been. So I give the witness my card and say that if the police want to talk to me, they can call me at that number.

I walk back to my office and talk to my boss about what had happened. She tells me to relax, and gives me a high five for getting those documents turned in even though I had been attacked a few minutes before. My co-worker tells me that someone from the police department had called and asked if anything from my purse had been taken. She said to call them back if it had, and if not, I didn't need to return the call. "That's not fair!" my co-worker exclaims, "They don't care you were attacked because you WON?!" That's right, I won! I won a fight against a meth head for my life (aka purse).

So be careful out there! Just because you're home doesn't mean bad things can't happen to you. I found out what I was made of; apparently, I cling tightly to what is mine. Some may call that fighting back. Next time though, I'll be prepared and kick the asshole right between the legs. You will NOT take advantage of ME, and if you try, you will be surprised! I fight back.