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| I don't feel I can post this on my other blog (yes, sorry LJ, I seem to have abandoned you) as it's not very professional. But I think it's funny. So, last night, I decided to go to a bar called "Bateau Ivre" (Drunken Ship in French) where they played live Jazz. With me was Magnus, my successor in the long Cranfield/IRC Ethiopia line. We also agreed to meet Susan, who is an American girl, 5 months in Addis, and desperately looking for friends outside her work. Being rather in the same position it was a great idea. So she brought some friends along and the evening was going fine. So much so we weren't even paying attention to the music. However the night took a rather unexpected turn, when I happened to glance down to my right and saw a man in a red leather jacket, well-cropped, slipping his bag into Susan's handbag. I stared as if I couldn't believe what I saw, and the hand removed itself, went into the red leather jacket's pocket, brought out a tissue and wiped his shoe with it. Still slightly in disbelief I told Susan who thought I was joking, but pulled up her bag and checked to see if anything was missing. Fortunately nothing was, and by this time the two men at the table were sat giving as side-glancy looks as you can in complete silence. There was a pause and I looked at Ben (Susan's friend) and said: "Shall we remove them?" He agreed, but we did not dwell on the details, and therefore had different ideas about what that meant. So we stood up, and I went over to the main offender, and slammed my hands down on his shoulders in a way that you would greet a good friend. Then I said "Yikerta wondeme... tehedale" (Excuse me brother, you're leaving). Made fists out my palms grabbing the lovely leather jacket and literally dragged him away from his table and to the gate of the bar. When I let him go I realised he was actually a fair bit taller than me and quite a bit stronger. He turned round and asked me in very good English what the hell was the matter, and I told him. Over and over again. "I saw you with your hand in my friend's bag". I was actually furious, I had my finger pointed at him permanently and was shouting, never backing down, which really shocked him. I noticed his friend come to my side at one point but nothing else. I had complete tunnel-vision. When he denied being a thief because "he was a Christian" I just got sick of it, shoved him away and told him I hoped his God was forgiving. Even on the way back to the table I had no idea how many people were looking at the scene. He came over, I realise now to say sorry, but I stood up gave him "that" look, pointed at him and he froze, hands up before backing off. The barmaid and the owner then came to see what was going on, and ultimately threw him out. I still can't believe he had the gaul to go back into the crowd looking for his next victim. Anyway, the mood kind of changed after that, but not in a bad way. Susan got a little starry-eyed, but it'll totally pass when she gets to know me. It was really weird and so uncharacteristic of me. Normally I'm a bit of a stiff upper lip kind of chap, but not last night. I thought of it many times and I think the source of it was my first ever day in Addis, nearly a year ago now, when some guy tried to pick-pocket me in a minibus. I slapped my hand on my pocket and glared at him. And I regretted it. If my Amharic was as good then as it is now, he'd've had a really nasty shock! I think I vented that pent-up regret last night. It gave me a massive confidence (and yes, ego too) boost and it confirms that my personality has really begun to change (I think into a better person) since I left the UK. I just hope I can pull it off again should the need arise. The thing I'm most proud about is that there was no actual violence. Dragging yes, shouting yes, pointing the finger of death yes... but it never came to blows, and yet it was a very successful intervention. I think there is reason to be proud. | ||||||||||
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