Lizzie on Underhill writes: “Just wanted to alert everyone to a mugging that took place last Friday afternoon, around 3:45pm, on Underhill Ave. and Prospect Pl. My neighbor was the victim, and he wrote a rather humorous account of the situation below. Tell everyone to watch those little iPods!”
THE STORY: “It was a bright and sunny Friday afternoon at about 3:45 in the P.M. Walking up Underhill Avenue from the Clinton Washington stop on the C train (I usually take the more reliable and trustier B train but it was out of commission as a result of a fire), I was enjoying a particularly heady live version of Scarlet Begonias by the Grateful Dead (a 1978 recording, very nice) when I noticed a group of about 7 or 8 young men hanging out outside their building (this was right between Prospect and Park on Underhill). As a teacher, large groups of 15 year old kids usually do not faze me in the least, so I continued walking, optimistic and confident.”
“As soon as a I got close to them, several of them got behind me (I saw one walking behind me with a large metal pole, which I assume he was planning on using to hit me on the head should the mugging not go according to plan) and one got in front of me and pushed me. He put his hand under his shirt and told me he wanted my iPod. Having heard of hustles much like this from my students, and having been in much stickier situations as a high schooler growing up in the third world myself, I assumed he did not have a weapon so I told him “I don’t think so” and pushed past him. He got back in front of me, pushed me, and pulled out a box cutter which he pressed against my stomach.”
“He then repeated his demand for my iPod, I considered my options, and then decided it was not worth getting sliced up for. I called him an asshole, and handed it over. As I walked away, I heard them laugh and then run down the block. On my way back to my apartment, I stopped by the deli and picked up a nice 40 ounce bottle of Bud Light (on account of me being on a diet), thankful they took neither my wallet or my watch. I called some friends, had a few beers, and mourned the loss of my sweet little silver mini iPod.”
I thought for sure this scary guy with wide eyes was about to pull a gun on me. He came up with the “excuse me sir can I ask a question” thing and then stuck his hand in his pocket. He said something like “I’m on my way to 5th Ave.” and I took a step back and pointed “it’s over that way” and he said “yeah yeah I know,” something about going to Long Island, and something about his medication, at which point he pulled an orange prescription bottle out of his pocket, and at that point I lost track of the narrative, because I was thinking “OMG, that’s the guy that panhandled Isa today, I have to get a picture” and I fished around in my pocket for my Treo, going “uh huh, uh huh” to stall him, then I said “sorry I can’t help you” and he said “you ain’t got any change?” and started walking away as I managed to squeeze off this picture (click to enlarge).
