Escaped being robbed yesterday... but I am still victim

[Touches]

Got this in an email and decided to share...interesting read.



May 22nd 2009

 

Escaped being robbed yesterday... but I am still victim

by Naylan Dwarika

 

After a normal work day yesterday, I took a taxi downtown, after which i decided to walk to City Gate. A friend of mine messaged me on my phone, and after a few quick exchanges, I decided that since he was also leaving Port of Spain at the same time, I would wait for him a few minutes outside PTSC, closer to the Lighthouse.

That's where the trouble started.
I noticed him, but thought nothing of the young boy who crossed over from Sea Lots and strode deliberately toward me. I stepped back to give him room to pass. As he walked past me, he suddenly whipped around, standing between me and the PTSC guard booth, and uttered something inaudible.

I probably didn't hear him, as I took in his features - 14 to 15 years old, razor never having touched the skin bursting with momma's milk, brown-skinned, bright-eyed, five-foot-five/six, 140/150 pounds, clean white t-shirt, three-quarter torn jeans, bare arms (save for a rubber-band, I think) and regular rubber slippers; I also knew at that point that there was the possibility of danger, and immediately began looking at the traffic lights, priming myself to push the youth into traffic, should the encounter go the wrong way.

Still without properly hearing the question, I answered him with the generic "Fadda, real salt... right now I waiting on a bredren to gi' me a ride down the road... I ain't have nothing."
Then he demanded (not asked) again: "Bwai, GIMME a call in dat phone! I want to talk to somebody!"

I realised that he used his "Beetham bionic vision" to spy the Blackberry that I usually palm (I presumed out of sight) in my left hand.
I looked and the racing traffic wistfully: did I have any justification to push him now? The court would probably think not.

I exposed the phone and with another generic reply: "Fadda, doh mind iz a bes' phone... is card I using, and I ain't have no money on the phone..."
He got aggressive: "Bwai Indian, yuh f***ing lyin!!!"
I stole a glance at the traffic and positioned myself to push him. No, not yet!

He saw me steal another glance at the traffic, and followed my gaze.
In that split second, I quickly sidestepped him and walked to the PTSC guard booth, where I waited and watched.
The little criminal-to-be took a lot of time to realise what happened and then walked slowly past me - a good distance away, but within earshot - obviously frustrated, and wary of the five or six guards who were in the booth, nevermind oblivious to my predicament.

Then the threats came. He paused, turned and let lose" Allyuh good-for-nuth'n f***in' Indian... yuh mudda c***... f*** allyuh Indian... dat is why allyuh f***ing Indian hadda DEAD... bwai... Indian... yuh f***ing racial... if I pass back here and see you, I go teach you something here today... I go make ah f***ing example outta you... yuh mudda c***!!! Bwai, f*** you boy Indian! F*** YOU!!"

I reflected his ignorance, and started to regret not tipping him into the thick of rush hour earlier, thereby saving a less patient person any more of his future taunts and/or actions.

Apparently the fool's confidence grew, and he passed back not more than a minute later; this time with a cold, broad smile splitting his face. He didn't shout, but was quite calculating: "Indian, yuh playing yuh ain't f***ing 'fraid... today yuh go f***ing learn about fear... we coming back for you now, yuh Indian mudda c***... stay right f***ing dey!"

As he walked back to Sea Lots, presumably to convince a group of individual cowards and losers to come get me; and possibly take a stab (no pun intended) at having their misdeed grace the front page of one of the dailies (with any one of my former media collegues photographing my corpse - ironic!), my friend arrived.
Talk about in the nick of time!

I was still ruing my earlier decision about the traffic, but consoled myself in the thinking that pulling one weed sees 10 more sprout... the only way to get rid of the problem is to cast the whole damn yard!

And then I wondered:

* When the police (whether right or wrong) rough up youths who know the whereabouts of guns and drugs, but are not in school at one in the afternoon - should I feel sorry?

* When turf rivalry turns deadly and mothers have closed-casket funerals - should I feel sorry?

* When freeness, feting and electioneering done, and they have no food on the table - should I feel sorry?

* When they disregard the classroom, in favour of the "block" - should I feel sorry?

* When their children make children, and there can be no natural development of mind and emotion - should I feel sorry?

* When Newsday prints them, "dead like a semp", in a drain, side of a hill, etc. - should I feel sorry?

* When "shots were fired, but neighbours did not investigate" and "was later found lying in a pool of blood" - should I feel sorry?

* When "someone called out to him... fired several shots" and "walked up to him" and "shot once in the back of the head" and "shot 15/20/30 & 40 times" - should I feel sorry.

* When they cry on TV6 no water, no road, no bridge, no drain, no justice eff-de-Prime-Minister, eff-this-one and eff-that-one; all after they decided to choose to represent them the person who had least interest in helping them - should I feel sorry?

* When they take their street wars to the jails and vice versa and bodies fall, decimating not only families and communities, but the natural human resource of the country - should I feel sorry?

* When they want to bend steel lazily for CEO pay, and Chinese workers get the job - should I feel sorry?

* When they "stepping out" with a man who alienates them and magnifies their so-called suffering and injustice (never mind it being of their own choosing and consequence) - should I feel sorry?

* When Peter pays for Paul - should I feel sorry?

[Toppa]

 

[verycute1]

Wow, really makes you think doesn't it?

I have to admit, I answered no to all of the questions.

[The_Ice]

damn straight motherf****r

[Babalawo]

he should of used the line i does always use. "My father is ah police", and they does walk away 

[capodetutticapi]

them does know who to fuk with.

[rotatopoti3]

Why d hell...he an all goe be flashing he Blackberry around dey....

If yuh iz ah town boy...yuh knoe d scene and wha not to do...

Aint he looking to get some clout up....

Yuh cant teach street sense....

Sometimes yuh does have tuh feel tuh learn.....

[Richard G.]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

[dinho]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

the man life was never in danger.

[Brownsugar]

Why d hell...he an all goe be flashing he Blackberry around dey....

If yuh iz ah town boy...yuh knoe d scene and wha not to do...

Aint he looking to get some clout up....

Yuh cant teach street sense....

Sometimes yuh does have tuh feel tuh learn.....

Its not nice that because of some miscreants, you cant walk the streets in peace with your possessions.  But having the knowledge that you can be held up and robbed at any time, anywhere people have to be more aware and conscious of what they are doing and when.

Call me paranoid but I no longer walk around talking on my cell phone in the area around my office (or in POS in general).  When I go outside to buy lunch for example, the cell phone stays inside because most of my work clothes don't have pockets so I can't conceal it.  People have been robbed of their phones on the streets, right outside the building.
Call me paranoid but I choose carefully which ABM's I use especially at night.
Call me paranoid but I lock ALL my windows and doors during the day when I'm not home and night when I go to sleep...
Call me paranoid but if a car driving behind me on my way home I pay close attention to where that vehicle is going...
Call me paranoid, but I always make sure my doors are locked and my windows wound up while waiting on a red light to change....
Call me paranoid, but better be safe than sorry.....

[elan]

This person (I believe) simulated a situation to get his/her polint across. Can't just come out and say what they thinking about dealing with the undesirables. I don't even bother to read these emails.

[Babalawo]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

the man life was never in danger.

Then the threats came. He paused, turned and let lose" Allyuh good-for-nuth'n f***in' Indian... yuh mudda c***... f*** allyuh Indian... dat is why allyuh f***ing Indian hadda DEAD... bwai... Indian... yuh f***ing racial... if I pass back here and see you, I go teach you something here today... I go make ah f***ing example outta you... yuh mudda c***!!! Bwai, f*** you boy Indian! F*** YOU!!"

in my country a threat is even an offense and lead to jail time

[zuluwarrior]

Touches yuh give the man ah socawarrior body beats they boy that is wah he could not take .yuh know wah ah talking bout the one weh yuh look and he loook and yuh move .

[kounty]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

the man life was never in danger.

Then the threats came. He paused, turned and let lose" Allyuh good-for-nuth'n f***in' Indian... yuh mudda c***... f*** allyuh Indian... dat is why allyuh f***ing Indian hadda DEAD... bwai... Indian... yuh f***ing racial... if I pass back here and see you, I go teach you something here today... I go make ah f***ing example outta you... yuh mudda c***!!! Bwai, f*** you boy Indian! F*** YOU!!"

in my country a threat is even an offense and lead to jail time

yeah ah know, an allyuh goin an push somebody chile into traffic in allyuh country too right? de judge in allyuh country goh let yuh go too right?

[Pointman]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

the man life was never in danger.

Then the threats came. He paused, turned and let lose" Allyuh good-for-nuth'n f***in' Indian... yuh mudda c***... f*** allyuh Indian... dat is why allyuh f***ing Indian hadda DEAD... bwai... Indian... yuh f***ing racial... if I pass back here and see you, I go teach you something here today... I go make ah f***ing example outta you... yuh mudda c***!!! Bwai, f*** you boy Indian! F*** YOU!!"

in my country a threat is even an offense and lead to jail time

What country is that?

[triniairman]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

the man life was never in danger.

We kool, but I need to ask yuh ..How yuh Know he was not in any danger? Let me tell yuh I worked at National fisheries which is located in sealots for a couple years before migrating. That area is no joke, man gettting robbed EVERY DAY especially those chinee who bring the fish in. I use to see 14, 15 year old youths  planning some of these robberies. Don't underestimate those so called kids.

[ribbit]

pnm go be lucky to get even 2 votes out of that youth.

[Mr Fix-it]

pnm go be lucky to get even 2 votes out of that youth.

Boy Ribbit, dey go still vote for dem....Nutting go change

[dinho]

A very interesting read indeed. You could only wonder if he pushed the kid into traffic if he would have been called a murderer, even though his life was under threat.

Enjoy de day
Blessings
Richard G.

the man life was never in danger.

We kool, but I need to ask yuh ..How yuh Know he was not in any danger? Let me tell yuh I worked at National fisheries which is located in sealots for a couple years before migrating. That area is no joke, man gettting robbed EVERY DAY especially those chinee who bring the fish in. I use to see 14, 15 year old youths  planning some of these robberies. Don't underestimate those so called kids.

airman, the reason i say that is because up until the point when the person who wrote this was already contemplating pushing the youth into the traffic, the reality is that the youthman only ask him to make a call and at most was only just started berating him... Even before the sea lots yuteman get to ask him anything, its clear to me this fellah already formulated his biases and i can see where that dictated everything that happened afterwards..

Don't you think this fellah's visible contemplation of taking action at that point would have contributed to that youth's reactions?? I could see it now, a twist face and a scorn which exacerbated the situation..

I personally have some serious questions for fellah's account presented here, and if he did something stupid like push him into traffic he would not have a leg to stand up on in court.

How about the other side of the story?

"Imagine I, ah youth man from sea lots, had to make an emergency call and thought i would ask one of my kind fellow citizens for a favor.. and this man turn around and start to scorn me and watching de traffic like he want to push me in it?? well that was the last straw and that trip me off.. wha my country come to? at that point i lost it..."

bottom line is the fellah who write this clearly has no street sense!

[asylumseeker]

Something about, "Bwai, GIMME a call in dat phone! I want to talk to somebody!" mash up yuh last paragraph dey Omar ... buh nevertheless, ah see de nugget yuh pushing.

[Grande]

I also disturbed by the underlying prejudices within either person in the article. Sad for the adult that he keeping it around, and is automatic suspicion, sad for the youth man that it exists so strongly within him at dat age.

[ribbit]

"Imagine I, ah youth man from sea lots, had to make an emergency call and thought i would ask one of my kind fellow citizens for a favor.. and this man turn around and start to scorn me and watching de traffic like he want to push me in it?? well that was the last straw and that trip me off.. wha my country come to? at that point i lost it..."


bottom line is the fellah who write this clearly has no street sense!

yuh serious? how "street sense" following that?

[Deeks]

I want to hear what all yuh go say when one of you or some family member close to you get knocked over.

[just cool]

This is ah simple case of punkism. the upper class fella with the phone was being punked by the ghetto yute and he didn't fall for it, so the yute reacted with indignation BC his bluff didn't work like it was suppose to.

if dat was ah 6 ft 2 screw face ruffian from belmont with ah sinister demenor, that yute woulda forget there was ever an invention name cell phone and golong bout hix beeswax.

that type ah shyte going on since time in memorium. the middle class dude overreacted to an unfamiliar situation, which is all too common in the hood.

if that yute wanted tuh rob him he woulda did it and forgot that he did, and the Email woulda read,i got robbed yesterday for the first time!

that yute man was just flexing, but if yuhs ah sheltered person then yuh wouldn't be familiar with that kinda behavior.

when i was ah yute man in trini i did all dem kinda forkery, thank God no man eh over react and kill meh.

i would admitt, it's real bad behavior that us ghetto ppl does go on wid sometimes, and after all this time i would think ppl would evolve and leave off that kinda worthless behavior! after all it's the 21st century.

[fari]

one of my old schoolmates from pres (he is indian) letting everybody on facebook know that he got robbed of his car by two afro-trinis.  he real taking it to heart and is glad to have escaped with his life.  i glad nutten ent happen to him and i hope he get back the car in one piece (he ent say what kind of car it was).   he took a sarcastic spin on it though, he bawl "i guess this is 1 indian not arriving nowhere"

[just cool]

one of my old schoolmates from pres (he is indian) letting everybody on facebook know that he got robbed of his car by two afro-trinis.  he real taking it to heart and is glad to have escaped with his life.  i glad nutten ent happen to him and i hope he get back the car in one piece (he ent say what kind of car it was).   he took a sarcastic spin on it though, he bawl "i guess this is 1 indian not arriving nowhere"

Them does be on this racist ting right through oui!!! dem does act like is only blackman does committ crime on the island!!

is like when they was running canada seeking assylum saying how blackman raping their women. sstuueeepppsss.

as a black man i does tired ah ppl comming at black ppl and only talking bout the negatives, what about the positives, no body doh think bout that . like the rich cultural expressions that africans give tuh T&T, forinstance steelpan, limbo, carnival masquerading,( even though it's ah french catholic ting carnival got much better when the africans add their camboule to the carnival).

who put trini on the map = hasley crawford, brian lara, anthony nesty, dwight yorke, richard thompson, jean pierre, russell latapy,claude noel , leslie stuart, don jacobs , billy ocean, george baily, sparrow and i could go on and on.

with all those accomplishments all yuh does hear is the negative contributions that blacks ppl made, and not the positives.

trinidad have real problems yes, the racist ting getting worst just like guyana, and is ah set ah country indian who fueling that fire. and i should know BC i used tuh work wid dem and they doh want tuh get along wid nobody, they just real forkin bad mind and racist.

doh geh meh wrong, i eh have nutten against indians, i have nuff indian breddren, but they from town , not from the country! dem country indian doh like no body but indians, and is dem who i can't stand BC they have too much hate in dey heart fuh black ppl.

[The_Ice]

one of my old schoolmates from pres (he is indian) letting everybody on facebook know that he got robbed of his car by two afro-trinis.  he real taking it to heart and is glad to have escaped with his life.  i glad nutten ent happen to him and i hope he get back the car in one piece (he ent say what kind of car it was).   he took a sarcastic spin on it though, he bawl "i guess this is 1 indian not arriving nowhere"

Them does be on this racist ting right through oui!!! dem does act like is only blackman does committ crime on the island!!

is like when they was running canada seeking assylum saying how blackman raping their women. sstuueeepppsss.

as a black man i does tired ah ppl comming at black ppl and only talking bout the negatives, what about the positives, no body doh think bout that . like the rich cultural expressions that africans give tuh T&T, forinstance steelpan, limbo, carnival masquerading,( even though it's ah french catholic ting carnival got much better when the africans add their camboule to the carnival).

who put trini on the map = hasley crawford, brian lara, anthony nesty, dwight yorke, richard thompson, jean pierre, russell latapy,claude noel , leslie stuart, don jacobs , billy ocean, george baily, sparrow and i could go on and on.

with all those accomplishments all yuh does hear is the negative contributions that blacks ppl made, and not the positives.

trinidad have real problems yes, the racist ting getting worst just like guyana, and is ah set ah country indian who fueling that fire. and i should know BC i used tuh work wid dem and they doh want tuh get along wid nobody, they just real forkin bad mind and racist.

doh geh meh wrong, i eh have nutten against indians, i have nuff indian breddren, but they from town , not from the country! dem country indian doh like no body but indians, and is dem who i can't stand BC they have too much hate in dey heart fuh black ppl.

wayz, calm down.lol.no need to generalise it and make it sound like all country indians like that.tho i would have to say most are, but to me it seems to be fueled by the UNCA.all those that i know who behave in such a manner think panday is god.and one other thing u got wrong there dude; they like white ppl too.once ur fair they want to love u up.im mixed w/ indian, french and chinese and i could tell u bush indians only want to be my friend b/c i not as brown as them.i know if i was black i wouldnt get any attention.ppl like that need to realise that shitty behaviour not benefiting anyone.

[just cool]

one of my old schoolmates from pres (he is indian) letting everybody on facebook know that he got robbed of his car by two afro-trinis.  he real taking it to heart and is glad to have escaped with his life.  i glad nutten ent happen to him and i hope he get back the car in one piece (he ent say what kind of car it was).   he took a sarcastic spin on it though, he bawl "i guess this is 1 indian not arriving nowhere"

Them does be on this racist ting right through oui!!! dem does act like is only blackman does committ crime on the island!!

is like when they was running canada seeking assylum saying how blackman raping their women. sstuueeepppsss.

as a black man i does tired ah ppl comming at black ppl and only talking bout the negatives, what about the positives, no body doh think bout that . like the rich cultural expressions that africans give tuh T&T, forinstance steelpan, limbo, carnival masquerading,( even though it's ah french catholic ting carnival got much better when the africans add their camboule to the carnival).

who put trini on the map = hasley crawford, brian lara, anthony nesty, dwight yorke, richard thompson, jean pierre, russell latapy,claude noel , leslie stuart, don jacobs , billy ocean, george baily, sparrow and i could go on and on.

with all those accomplishments all yuh does hear is the negative contributions that blacks ppl made, and not the positives.

trinidad have real problems yes, the racist ting getting worst just like guyana, and is ah set ah country indian who fueling that fire. and i should know BC i used tuh work wid dem and they doh want tuh get along wid nobody, they just real forkin bad mind and racist.

doh geh meh wrong, i eh have nutten against indians, i have nuff indian breddren, but they from town , not from the country! dem country indian doh like no body but indians, and is dem who i can't stand BC they have too much hate in dey heart fuh black ppl.

wayz, calm down.lol.no need to generalise it and make it sound like all country indians like that.tho i would have to say most are, but to me it seems to be fueled by the UNCA.all those that i know who behave in such a manner think panday is god.and one other thing u got wrong there dude; they like white ppl too.once ur fair they want to love u up.im mixed w/ indian, french and chinese and i could tell u bush indians only want to be my friend b/c i not as brown as them.i know if i was black i wouldnt get any attention.ppl like that need to realise that shitty behaviour not benefiting anyone.

Listen king, tuh know JC is tuh love JC. i does have all kinda ppl eating out my hand Bc iz one bag ah love and positivity!

real ppl does gravitate tuh me Bc i'm like ah child , i does talk the truth and respect every one as bredren and sistren.

but my experience in trini was mared by the bad vibes i encountered with class and race!

i worked along ppl who just didn't know how tuh love ppl who didn't look like them . and yuh right bout what you said BC nuff indian daughters love off whte dudes and red man , and trust me there's nothing wrong wid dat , but if iz not yuh type @ least be civil. i don't need yuh love , but please doh break my balls BC iz not what yuh like tuh see. low me and i'll low you. no love lost.

[ribbit]

one of my old schoolmates from pres (he is indian) letting everybody on facebook know that he got robbed of his car by two afro-trinis.  he real taking it to heart and is glad to have escaped with his life.  i glad nutten ent happen to him and i hope he get back the car in one piece (he ent say what kind of car it was).   he took a sarcastic spin on it though, he bawl "i guess this is 1 indian not arriving nowhere"

Them does be on this racist ting right through oui!!! dem does act like is only blackman does committ crime on the island!!

is like when they was running canada seeking assylum saying how blackman raping their women. sstuueeepppsss.

as a black man i does tired ah ppl comming at black ppl and only talking bout the negatives, what about the positives, no body doh think bout that . like the rich cultural expressions that africans give tuh T&T, forinstance steelpan, limbo, carnival masquerading,( even though it's ah french catholic ting carnival got much better when the africans add their camboule to the carnival).

who put trini on the map = hasley crawford, brian lara, anthony nesty, dwight yorke, richard thompson, jean pierre, russell latapy,claude noel , leslie stuart, don jacobs , billy ocean, george baily, sparrow and i could go on and on.

with all those accomplishments all yuh does hear is the negative contributions that blacks ppl made, and not the positives.

trinidad have real problems yes, the racist ting getting worst just like guyana, and is ah set ah country indian who fueling that fire. and i should know BC i used tuh work wid dem and they doh want tuh get along wid nobody, they just real forkin bad mind and racist.

doh geh meh wrong, i eh have nutten against indians, i have nuff indian breddren, but they from town , not from the country! dem country indian doh like no body but indians, and is dem who i can't stand BC they have too much hate in dey heart fuh black ppl.

de only way yorke and latapy meeting this talk is if is dem dat tief de man ride.

[ndwarika]

Jeez! I really didn't think that my "little" facebook note would have gotten me to this point!
However, guys, gals... thanks for the support and feedback - even if negative.

Some things I'd like to clear up:
* I was born in a bit of a ghetto; spent a few critical years learning on the streets (didn't attend any school after Form 5), so the "middle class fella" and "upper class dude" really have no locus standi at this point
* Some of you may find my name familiar, so I'll remind you that after years of sheer determination, sweat, blood and tears, I managed to create and pursue a career as a journalist (print, radio and TV). This would further consolidate the fact that I did not foolishly and/or deliberately put myself in harm's way.
* Some of you folks may want to re-read my description of BOTH the scene, and the "yute". I did not make any ethnic identification... so if you have a prejudicial premise, please ponder that it was not promulgated by me.
* Please also re-read the details of the "conversation" which I had transcribed quite soon after the incident, so it's practically verbatim. The little ruffian didn't want to call Jerry Narace because his mother was dying. It was clearly an act of intimidation that backfired on his part; you might even want to call it "reverse profiling".

I could go on and on, but I'd just be regurgitating the chatter and mauvais langue that have been spewed people from all sides of their respective divides.

But thanks again, people.

Bless!