Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Street scammers and pickpockets

Cynthetiq · 11-13-2010, 06:06 AM

last year

Early Saturday morning in Madrid, we were waiting to check into our hostel. Never stayed in a hostel before, and they have been supposedly becoming a bit more upscale.

We left the bigger bags with the front desk and were to return around 12pm. We had about 3 hours to kill and it was already a long red-eye. I kept my backpack laptop bag as it had all the electronics. Passports were in another bag on my shoulder. It was tiring caring the bags, but I´m quite used to them from all the years of traveling.

We are about 2 blocks from Puerto del Sol and about 1 block from our hostel. We´re on a small alley that connects Calle de la Cruz to another street. That´s when a man walks up to me from the right and asks me to sit in the restaurant. I had adjusted my bag to somewhere I never do which is put my backpack on backwards. I was so tired that it was just easier to carry this way.

The man asks where I´m from and I reply New York. He says something to me about football, Real Madrid, and then he starts kicking between my legs like he´s trying to take the ball from me. A check here and a check there. He backs away. I say, "No, I don´t like football" and he comes back with something like karate or kung fu. I didn´t answer as I´m starting to become aware that something isn´t right as I see another man approach Skogafoss. It´s at that moment I realize my wallet isn´t in my backpocket anymore. I don´t keep cash there, but still, it is a pain to cancel cards etc.

I look at Skogafoss and shout at her. "This man has my wallet." She looks at me. "Skogafoss, this man has my wallet." I look at the man, "You have my wallet, give it to me!"

I started to drop my bags and demanded my wallet again. I´m watching these guys carefully keeping myself between them and Skogafoss. I ask for my wallet again.

Suddenly and quite unexpectedly the guy produces my wallet and says something to the effect of "solo bromo" only joking. Yeah, only joking my ass. I checked the wallet, no cards missing, the hidden cash still there. Hey I don´t keep important cash there, just emergency cash. As I´m looking through it he´s walking away saying "bromo"

So for the past couple of days, (I know it has only been two real days, but we´ve slept, woken up, gone out like 4 times, so it feels like 4 days have passed) we have been joking as to why he gave me my wallet back.

Did he think I was going to go South Bronx on his ass? Why did he not just run away? He had a lanky friend with him, was it just about an easy mark and move on? I haven´t the foggiest idea, but I am grateful that I did not have to spend a couple hours cancelling cards etc.

11-13-2010, 06:06 AM	#15 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	last year Early Saturday morning in Madrid, we were waiting to check into our hostel. Never stayed in a hostel before, and they have been supposedly becoming a bit more upscale. We left the bigger bags with the front desk and were to return around 12pm. We had about 3 hours to kill and it was already a long red-eye. I kept my backpack laptop bag as it had all the electronics. Passports were in another bag on my shoulder. It was tiring caring the bags, but I´m quite used to them from all the years of traveling. We are about 2 blocks from Puerto del Sol and about 1 block from our hostel. We´re on a small alley that connects Calle de la Cruz to another street. That´s when a man walks up to me from the right and asks me to sit in the restaurant. I had adjusted my bag to somewhere I never do which is put my backpack on backwards. I was so tired that it was just easier to carry this way. The man asks where I´m from and I reply New York. He says something to me about football, Real Madrid, and then he starts kicking between my legs like he´s trying to take the ball from me. A check here and a check there. He backs away. I say, "No, I don´t like football" and he comes back with something like karate or kung fu. I didn´t answer as I´m starting to become aware that something isn´t right as I see another man approach Skogafoss. It´s at that moment I realize my wallet isn´t in my backpocket anymore. I don´t keep cash there, but still, it is a pain to cancel cards etc. I look at Skogafoss and shout at her. "This man has my wallet." She looks at me. "Skogafoss, this man has my wallet." I look at the man, "You have my wallet, give it to me!" I started to drop my bags and demanded my wallet again. I´m watching these guys carefully keeping myself between them and Skogafoss. I ask for my wallet again. Suddenly and quite unexpectedly the guy produces my wallet and says something to the effect of "solo bromo" only joking. Yeah, only joking my ass. I checked the wallet, no cards missing, the hidden cash still there. Hey I don´t keep important cash there, just emergency cash. As I´m looking through it he´s walking away saying "bromo" So for the past couple of days, (I know it has only been two real days, but we´ve slept, woken up, gone out like 4 times, so it feels like 4 days have passed) we have been joking as to why he gave me my wallet back. Did he think I was going to go South Bronx on his ass? Why did he not just run away? He had a lanky friend with him, was it just about an easy mark and move on? I haven´t the foggiest idea, but I am grateful that I did not have to spend a couple hours cancelling cards etc. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!