Oakland Saturday night special

Wow, nearly just got shot/mugged. Walking up Telegraph after the 10:30 Purple Rain, I had someone whom I barely glanced at ask me for the time- 1:15 at that point. About ten minutes later, I had reached 40th and was heading west, and had just gotten to Linden (a poorly-lit intersection). I heard running footsteps behind me, and stepped aside to a) let the person pass, and b) get a look (just in case). He came to a stop in front of me: black; slim build; 18 or so; maybe 5'5"; dark clothing including a nylon windbreaker; very possible the guy who asked me the time ten minutes earlier... and a gun in his right hand. He didn't brandish it at me; he displayed it under the cover of his coat as if to conceal it from passersby (there were none) and quietly said, "Give it to me." "What?" I said, not quite to speed. "Give it to me, or I'll shoot you."

...trust me, and possible iteration of "You did WHAT?" had already been covered. At any rate, I was not scared, but furious. "MOTHERFUCKER!" I yelled, so loudly that he backed up a step... and I grabbed his wrists. In another second, I was going to knee him in the balls... but my fingers slid on the sleeves of his nylon windbreaker, and he ran, and I gave exactly this report to Oakland PD. Now, time to hide behind two locked doors, and think of that ending credit of Purple Rain: "May U live 2 see the dawn."

Oakland Saturday night special

Wow, nearly just got shot/mugged. Walking up Telegraph after the 10:30 Purple Rain, I had someone whom I barely glanced at ask me for the time- 1:15 at that point. About ten minutes later, I had reached 40th and was heading west, and had just gotten to Linden (a poorly-lit intersection). I heard running footsteps behind me, and stepped aside to a) let the person pass, and b) get a look (just in case). He came to a stop in front of me: black; slim build; 18 or so; maybe 5'5"; dark clothing including a nylon windbreaker; very possible the guy who asked me the time ten minutes earlier... and a gun in his right hand. He didn't brandish it at me; he displayed it under the cover of his coat as if to conceal it from passersby (there were none) and quietly said, "Give it to me." "What?" I said, not quite to speed. "Give it to me, or I'll shoot you."

...trust me, and possible iteration of "You did WHAT?" had already been covered. At any rate, I was not scared, but furious. "MOTHERFUCKER!" I yelled, so loudly that he backed up a step... and I grabbed his wrists. In another second, I was going to knee him in the balls... but my fingers slid on the sleeves of his nylon windbreaker, and he ran, and I gave exactly this report to Oakland PD. Now, time to hide behind two locked doors, and think of that ending credit of Purple Rain: "May U live 2 see the dawn."

Aftermath

After giving my report (to an officer who repeatedly got both my home address and the color of the gun wrong), I cadged a ride home (datum: cop cars have no seats in back; yes, I spent a second looking for the door handle). Remembered at the last second that the neighbors were having a house party, had the officer drop me off down the street. ("Cool it, the cops are here!" "No, they were just dropping me off.) Got to show my next door neighbors my book collection (alas that I gave 90% away before I moved); socialized a bit; freaked out when I realized that the last movie I ever saw was very nearly Purple Rain. Accordingly, Miyazaki films until the wee hours.

Wound up visiting (and finally formally meeting, after being on the periphery of each other's social circles for ages) britgeekgrrl for her birthday party; saw my friends Anne and Kai; afterward, walked them to the BART (and dropped some souveniered cupcakes- thank you, Oakland's road pavers). Made a point of walking by the scene of the incident; nice to see no Fred-sized outline on the ground; even nicer to see a cop car drive by as I checked.

Aftermath

After giving my report (to an officer who repeatedly got both my home address and the color of the gun wrong), I cadged a ride home (datum: cop cars have no seats in back; yes, I spent a second looking for the door handle). Remembered at the last second that the neighbors were having a house party, had the officer drop me off down the street. ("Cool it, the cops are here!" "No, they were just dropping me off.) Got to show my next door neighbors my book collection (alas that I gave 90% away before I moved); socialized a bit; freaked out when I realized that the last movie I ever saw was very nearly Purple Rain. Accordingly, Miyazaki films until the wee hours.

Wound up visiting (and finally formally meeting, after being on the periphery of each other's social circles for ages) britgeekgrrl for her birthday party; saw my friends Anne and Kai; afterward, walked them to the BART (and dropped some souveniered cupcakes- thank you, Oakland's road pavers). Made a point of walking by the scene of the incident; nice to see no Fred-sized outline on the ground; even nicer to see a cop car drive by as I checked.