to get into my car. It's my little safe bubble. It's my space where I sing loudly and dance like an idiot in my car, forgetting people can actually see me. Why? Because it's my safe haven.
It got violated last night on my way home for work and without sounding too dramatic I'm lucky to be alive.
It was pissing down with rain and I was stuck in traffic. I had cars infront of me, behind me and next to me. I was alert at the red light and as I looked around me I noticed two men sitting in the rain. I looked around towards the other side and when I looked back again I saw the guy up against my window, cupping his hands and peering in. I, naive, gullible, stupid even, thought he was asking for directions. I didn't wind down my window; but I waved him off. He then begged for money and I FELT SORRY FOR HIM drenched in the rain etc. My handbag with MY LIFE IN IT was hidden under the seat. I bent down to get it out to give the guy some money when I noticed the second guy peering into my passenger backseat window. That sudden realisation as to what was happening was sickening and I felt the most unbelievable FEAR.
I started hooting and screaming, hitting my window to tell the guy to get away. He stepped away and then turned around and put his fist through my window and lurched into my car. The glass smashed into a million pieces and I screamed blue murder. My instant reaction was: "It's mine!" and grabbed my handbag. Stupid. He tried to slap me but I dodged out the way and that's when he reached into his jacket to either pull out a gun or a knife. I didn't want to find out so I let go and he pulled my handbag out of my window and ran. He would have hurt me or killed me for my handbag. My life was nothing to him. The realization fo that is something I cannot come to terms with.
Rain poured into the shattered window and I stopped at the BP Garage 200m ahead.
Shaking, crying and the realisation as to what had just happened sunk in. I got out my car and just started crying and shouting for anyone to help me with a phone. I panicked and nothing was rational.
A car had pulled up next to me and this guy, Joe ( I found out later) came to my rescue. He had been in front of my car. His radio had been blearing and the rain was loud. He couldn't see anything but he heard something and turned his radio off, that's when he heard my screaming through the rain. My throat is sore today from screaming so hard.
There were 4 other people who were smash and grabbed at the same spot.
I feel shocked and violated and traumatic. I have lost some incredible valuable things that I will never be able to get back, like the hand written letter I received from the Guide Dog Association when my puppy made it. I keep it in my wallet.
My wallet, cellphone, ID and Drivers, new sunglasses (I saved up for), work access tags, credit cards and bank cards, my entire make-up kit, which I had JUST restocked and more. Oh yes, I had also drawn my last few hundred rand. Pay day is the 25th and so I thought I'd draw it all so that I wouldn't need to constantly go to the bank. I'm broke now. I don't have a cent to my name.
It's not what I lost, yes it's fucking annoying, expensive to replace and time consuming like getting a new license and ID...it's the WAY it was taken from me.
I really didn't think I would be so affected by this. I am shocked, traumatized and angry! I am so petrified to get into my car and drive home tonight. Every time someone comes up to sell me fruit or hand me a flyer I freak out. I've been close to having a panic attack and I'm weepy all the time.
"They" always say you should have a plan and you should act in a certain way... there isn't any time to act out the "plan".
I reported everything and the Police Inspector actually described the place and person. What the FUCK?? Apparently this happens all the time and it's a Smash&Grab HOT SPOT. A fucking SIGN is going to go up to warn people. Thanks a fucking lot!
While I was reporting the incident, 3 other people arrived to report the same thing. They had been hurt. I was lucky.
That also makes me angry...our South African mentality is shit. Gosh I am so lucky I wasn't killed, yes BUT.... are we listening to ourselves?
We don't go to the police station to report an incident so that the police can go and find the assholes and arrest them...NO. We report incidents because we need a case number so we can blacklist our phones and stop sim cards from being used.
It's messed up.
I'm ranting and getting this all off my chest, because I am angry and I'm upset and I'm petrified.
On a lighter note, I hope you get lots of Easter eggs, you're safe and blessed!
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