Dancing Is My Remedy To Mugging
This Post Requires An Introduction
I've been subscribed to The Freebox where Mary posts a new dance every day. A couple of my recent favorites are her Hafiz "Dividing God" and Light and fabric dances. She describes her project like this:
So I wanted to make a video of me dancing since I've enjoyed hers.... but then Matt and I were mugged Saturday night and I know lots of people want me to talk about that. So I decided to do both in today's blog, since nothing makes me feel better like a good dance.If more people danced everyday, the world would be a much happier place!
This is my friendly challenge to you to literally join the movement.
It's as simple as 1,2,3.
1. Watch one of my videos (or play a song)
2. Dance with me
3. Tomorrow, do it again.Remember - it doesn't matter how you look or how you dance. Just move.
One song, once a day. Dance, then leave a brief comment here or on our Facebook page so we can support you and cheer you on. If you feel inspired, make a video and share it too!
The Mugging
Saturday night Matt and I were going to a birthday party late in the evening, so we made a trip to Gomer's at 39th and Broadway to pick up a six-pack. On the way home, we crossed through the Wallgreen's parking lot right across the street, going through the fence over towards Central and 38th. When we got on Central, Matt told me to hurry up because someone was trying to get our attention. We quickened our pace and I turned around to see two tall, slim black males coming through the fence around the Walgreen's parking lot towards us. I instantly got a bad feeling about it and started to go for my concealed defense weapon when I remembered that I didn't have my purse with me - and the weapon was in it!
That made me frustrated and somewhat anxious and the next thing I know the tallest guy has run around in front of me and is pointing a shiny semi-automatic pistol at my chest. Many things crossed my mind like "Guns look bigger on TV shows" and "I bet I could live through being shot by that" and "What the fuck?! Is this guy seriously trying to rob ME?! One of the poorest ppl I know?!?"

So he did the usual "Give me your money" routine and, in my experience, the louder you are with people who harass you on the street the sooner they're likely to leave you alone. So I'm very loudly declaring I don't have anything of value. I was eating peanut M&Ms and for some reason I kept saying "I've got some M&Ms. You want THOSE?!" to make the muggers feel absurd. I was being noisy and distracting and basically trying to make the whole experience not worth their while...
The second guy (without the gun) took the bag Matt had with our beer in it. I was pissed because it's my FAVORITE bag; it has images from Marc Chagall's stained glass windows on it. And the first guy took his keys then gave them back to him. I pulled out the receipt and flyer I had in my pocket, then when he reached to get into my pocket I pulled out my debit card and gave it to him, but he just handed it back since he knew I'd just go and cancel it or whatever...
So eventually they believed us when we said we had no cash and they jogged away towards Broadway, the one guy dropping the bag in the street as he left. Full of righteous indignation, I yelled after them that "Not all white people have money, you know" and instantly thought I should probably shut my mouth in case he decided to shoot me just for spite, but they just ran away and we went home and reported it to the cops.
It was scary, but Matt and I were both impressed that it didn't scare us that much. In fact, it kinda just made us feel more lucky and invulnerable than ever - I mean, who gets mugged and has nothing stolen from them?
Anyway, it wasn't without making me feel this neighborhood is not the place for me to be, but for now it's home so I got to deal with it and try to be as safe as possible... and not let myself get freaked out.
So how do I do that? Well....
Dancing Is My Remedy
(Click here to see embedded video)
Related posts:
Dancing Away My Troubles
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