estás seguro?

Just about every Sunday I spend part of my afternoon in a park. It's always nice to enjoy the sun and fresh air for a while. It was an enjoyable and relaxing time til some dude and and a woman came up to my friend and I (not always that strange in Abby world....) As some of you know, I've been known to attract various people here who think they want to talk to me.

It wasn't an odd situation until the dude knelt down next to my friend and the woman went and stood behind me. The dude started talking with us really fast in a kind of whiny voice. All we understood was: dinero (the exchange was more like: can you give me you're money please?). Then it got a bit strange when my friend saw the knife in the dude's sleeve. After my friend (who has been blessed with common sense and height) stood up, started talking loudly, and told the dude all she had with her was her homework(actually true...) and that she had nothing else, the woman standing behind me said: Tienes un celular?(do you have a cell phone?). Seriously, are y'all for real? You're asking or are you trying to rob me? A moment later they started to get upset and told us there was no need for us to get worked up or yell. Then they asked us to calm down and sit back down. Then they just walked away, got into a cab, and went their merry way. So strange...kind of felt like I was in a movie or something. Maybe we were their trial run??

I've never been in an attempted robbery where the robbers ASKED if they could have my things. I did have my book bag right next to me with all kinds of stuff in it. I guess it didn't appeal to them because I still have it. Maybe their laid back style creates a stress free working environment?

The whole thing was very calm and it wasn't til afterwords that I fully realized what had happened. It was at least a little bit funny to me, but thinking back, I'm thankful for God's protection in the situation and that nothing worse happened. It's probably a good reminder for me to be aware of my surroundings and the people around me at all times. In reality, this could have happened to me at home in Baltimore walking from the parking garage to the hospital, but he robbers probably wouldn't have been so kind and non confrontational...

Looks like I'll have to find somewhere else to sit Sunday afternoons... Any creative ideas for new locations would be appreciated.

Hasta Luego