I got my iPod stolen today.
The title says it all. I'm not really mad...just confused, confused at how I reacted.
We were playing 4 square at a school in town, it's a lower income housing part of Portland (to some extent, it kind of bridges a higher-living section). I had left my car across the street with the window down, which I almost always do. When we were done playing 4 square I went to my car, and from across the street I saw a guy getting out of my car. The guy was black, which doesn't matter as much for the story as how I reacted. So I went over, and he was looking at me, but didn't leave. I asked him what he took, and said nothing, and said to check if I wanted. I don't know if it was out of gullibleness or out of surprise for what was happening that I didn't, I just got in my car, and he walked away, my iPod was gone.
What should I have done? Every stereotype jumped into my head. Could he have a gun? Do I want to press this? In a part of town where I'd be outnumbered? Is it my fault 'cause I left my window open? (Yes). Do I care if he has a gun? Are these thoughts 'cause he's black? Given, I think I wouldn't have tried to take on a white guy who was at least a half foot taller than me. The iPod's probably worth $150 tops at this point, do I care? I was going to get a new one anyways...I always said if someone stole it I wouldn't care. What if this were 5 years ago, and I was poor as fuck? Is this one of those things that makes you never trust an [insert stereotype] again? I don't know what I should have done, and really I don't care about the object...just about what happened. Was it life or death, or did I just make it that way. Forgetting the stereotype about black people, and remembering the ones about fat kids, he could have just run, had I pressed it, and I guess that's the smarter plan, 'cause who wants to shoot somebody?
Just makes you think I guess.
We were playing 4 square at a school in town, it's a lower income housing part of Portland (to some extent, it kind of bridges a higher-living section). I had left my car across the street with the window down, which I almost always do. When we were done playing 4 square I went to my car, and from across the street I saw a guy getting out of my car. The guy was black, which doesn't matter as much for the story as how I reacted. So I went over, and he was looking at me, but didn't leave. I asked him what he took, and said nothing, and said to check if I wanted. I don't know if it was out of gullibleness or out of surprise for what was happening that I didn't, I just got in my car, and he walked away, my iPod was gone.
What should I have done? Every stereotype jumped into my head. Could he have a gun? Do I want to press this? In a part of town where I'd be outnumbered? Is it my fault 'cause I left my window open? (Yes). Do I care if he has a gun? Are these thoughts 'cause he's black? Given, I think I wouldn't have tried to take on a white guy who was at least a half foot taller than me. The iPod's probably worth $150 tops at this point, do I care? I was going to get a new one anyways...I always said if someone stole it I wouldn't care. What if this were 5 years ago, and I was poor as fuck? Is this one of those things that makes you never trust an [insert stereotype] again? I don't know what I should have done, and really I don't care about the object...just about what happened. Was it life or death, or did I just make it that way. Forgetting the stereotype about black people, and remembering the ones about fat kids, he could have just run, had I pressed it, and I guess that's the smarter plan, 'cause who wants to shoot somebody?
Just makes you think I guess.