It's about 10.30 on a Sunday morning at Mirador Sur and you're just sitting down to do some reading (you've done this dozens of times).
Before you can pull your book out of your pack, someone has a 12" knife to your throat and they take your backpack from between your legs.
You freeze.
He leans down to open the front pocket of the backpack and puts the knife to your stomach (it's impossible to get this pocket open with one hand) he backs away and tries the pocket again. Again no luck (less than 10 seconds have passed).
Now he just wants what's in your pocket (mp3 player, headphones still in your ears actually), you stand up, eyeing the left hand with the knife (you have your sunglasses on still, he can't see where you're looking) you try and get him just a little closer to make your move on the knife (less than 15 seconds).
He makes his first "bad" decision and touches your bike.
Time for offense! You ATTACK! He drops the bike and runs.
You give chase and in no time you're 10 yards behind him and losing quickly (you're wearing bike shoes with cleats, he knows exactly where he's going) and he jumps from a ledge out onto some vines and a tree and descends the 30-35 feet in two bounds. You commit and do the same.
You just made a huge decision jumping because you left a very nice bike all alone. If you don't catch him before he gets to the other side of the road and into the maze of barrios, the game is over.
Once you hit the road, he's breaking away and shooting down a barrio.
You backtrack and get your bike.
What you've lost is very very important to you:
1. A grade book that's 6 weeks from being completed - your first teaching position.
2. Your journal you've been writing in for 4 years.
3. "Learn Spanish in 3 months" book.
4. Bike tools, pump, watch, house keys, RD$50, towel, sun protector, and a popped tire-tube (what? you think your bad day waited until now to begin?).
What would you do next?
(Keep in mind that April's grades are due on Tuesday!)
1. Call the police (enter laughtrack).
2. Go right into the barrio, figuring he's at a colmado getting a celebratory beer?
3. ?
Before you can pull your book out of your pack, someone has a 12" knife to your throat and they take your backpack from between your legs.
You freeze.
He leans down to open the front pocket of the backpack and puts the knife to your stomach (it's impossible to get this pocket open with one hand) he backs away and tries the pocket again. Again no luck (less than 10 seconds have passed).
Now he just wants what's in your pocket (mp3 player, headphones still in your ears actually), you stand up, eyeing the left hand with the knife (you have your sunglasses on still, he can't see where you're looking) you try and get him just a little closer to make your move on the knife (less than 15 seconds).
He makes his first "bad" decision and touches your bike.
Time for offense! You ATTACK! He drops the bike and runs.
You give chase and in no time you're 10 yards behind him and losing quickly (you're wearing bike shoes with cleats, he knows exactly where he's going) and he jumps from a ledge out onto some vines and a tree and descends the 30-35 feet in two bounds. You commit and do the same.
You just made a huge decision jumping because you left a very nice bike all alone. If you don't catch him before he gets to the other side of the road and into the maze of barrios, the game is over.
Once you hit the road, he's breaking away and shooting down a barrio.
You backtrack and get your bike.
What you've lost is very very important to you:
1. A grade book that's 6 weeks from being completed - your first teaching position.
2. Your journal you've been writing in for 4 years.
3. "Learn Spanish in 3 months" book.
4. Bike tools, pump, watch, house keys, RD$50, towel, sun protector, and a popped tire-tube (what? you think your bad day waited until now to begin?).
What would you do next?
(Keep in mind that April's grades are due on Tuesday!)
1. Call the police (enter laughtrack).
2. Go right into the barrio, figuring he's at a colmado getting a celebratory beer?
3. ?