New York I love you, but you almost got me mugged.
Last night, I cooked dinner with a cute boy (you may remember him as “Shit Pictures“). After our meal and a little making out, we walked to get some ice cream. We brought my dog Oliver along, and after we got our cones we sat down on a stoop on 47th street to enjoy them. While we were sitting there, a scary looking dude walked by and shot Shit Pictures a weird look. We ignored him. After he passed, though, he turned around the came back. I was aware of him, but because we’re so desensitized to weirdos here, I wasn’t scared. The guy looked at me and then asked what kind of dog Oliver was and started to pet him. He didn’t look at us while he spoke, he just continued petting. I don’t remember what we did, but I things got quiet. It was a quiet you could feel. Calm, like the calm before a storm.
We both suddenly knew that this guy’s plan had been to come back and mug us. He was checking to see where my purse was and to size us up. I don’t know if it was the fact that I had my dog with me, or my telling him to have a nice night, or the fact that my purse was across my body like a messenger bag, but for whatever reason, he didn’t do it. For whatever reason, he changed his mind.
You become very trusting and ambivalent when you live in New York, but you have to remember that, at any minute, someone could come up to you and do real harm. It’s not something we should sit around and think about all day, but it’s something to be aware of.
Here’s a tip if you think you are about to get mugged: Give the mugger your purse or wallet. Just do it. Anything is replaceable. Just say, “Here you go—have a great night!” Show him your credit cards and give him your pin numbers, even if he doesn’t ask for them. Maybe just try to hold on to your lip gloss because good lip gloss is really hard to find.
Lindsey Gentile is an actor, writer, comedienne, and all-around gal-about-town. Every Thursday, she reports from the front lines of single life in NYC. Check out her website HERE. Need more Big City Siren? No problem.
