In the Diner

It was a first this morning.

A purse-snatching. (Not my purse, mind you. I always keep that close to me.)

It was taken right off the counter.

Right in my line of sight.

And I missed it.

I saw the guy walk past out the door, and a few seconds later I hear, “Where’s your purse? … That guy took it.”

So we went after him.

Caught up with him in the alley a couple of blocks away.

He claimed he thought it was his mom’s. “She forgot it and sent me up there to get it.”

I said, “Don’t lie, man. You know that wasn’t your mom’s.”

I later told him, “We live here. Don’t ruin our neighborhood by doing this stupid stuff.”

I felt a bit like Barney Fife … and Rick Simon all in one. We caught the guy but couldn’t do anything with him.

He left before the police showed up because we didn’t call until he was actually walking away. The response time was actually pretty quick though … probably less than two minutes after the call was made.

I went after him for a few more blocks but too much time had passed so I didn’t see where he went. I have to admit the thought crossed my mind about whether or not he was packin’. When I saw someone in the distance, I slowed down and ducked a bit behind the corner of a building. It was a different guy though,

In the end, the purse was returned, and the keys also when they fell out of his pocket. He ended up with a new pack of cigarettes and an inhaler. (That’s a strange combination now that I think about it.)

Now to get some work done …