The Evil That Men Do...

That's twice I've turned a blind eye to blatant thievery. The first incident occurred in Paris. I was on the Metro and spied this black gentleman--nicely dressed (though even the skankiest French usually are) with gold rings and a huge toothy smile.

The Metro car was packed as we headed toward the suburbs during rush hour. And a packed subway in Paris means that you've got about four or five strangers' asses pressed against your body and your hand is one of many gripping the "oh shit" pole. It's gross because everyone's sweaty and so hands are slipping up and down the pole and it looks quite disgusting--I'll say no more on that.

Several Japanese tourists were scrunched together against the door. I watched the nicely dressed black man weasel his way closer to an unsuspecting Japanese tourist. Through a crack between various limbs I spied the black man's large hand do a steady nose dive and in a flash he had the Japanese tourist's wallet. Voilá! The crime committed.

Several minutes later the very same black man was cordially giving the Japanese directions in Paris wearing the same flashy smile. A smile that I now equate to evil.

The second incident occurred yesterday. This time I was waiting for the MAX--Portland's answer to the Metro. An old woman got up from the bench and left her gaudy jeweled hand purse behind. I was going to say something when I noticed a twenty something white kid--dressed yuppyish with white cap set at the "cool" angle--discreetly observe the neglected purse.

Was he going to tell the old woman she'd left her purse?

He moseyed over very casually and sat down on the bench--right beside the bejeweled purse.

He's going to snag it. I couldn't believe it. The kid did not look like he needed the money. Are people really this evil? I must be so completely naïve. I remembered the black man in Paris. To steal from a tourist. And now this kid was going to steal from an old woman--probably on a fixed income.

The kid stood and then sat down again, only this time the little purse was directly behind him. Everything was done in a sly manner. My observations were discreet as well and when I turned back the purse was gone and the kid was standing up. He'd snagged it and stowed it in his backpack.

I thought: any moment the police are going to jump out of the bushes and arrest this kid. It had to be a setup. It was too easy for this kid. But nothing happened. The MAX came. I got on, the kid got on, and the old lady was nowhere to be seen.

Across from me, the kid glanced my way and I shook my head in that shame-on-you fashion. He knew now that I'd seen his dirty deed. He turned away. And I thought: What a bastard I am! I should've said something. But sometimes the urge to observe someone doing the unthinkable is just too great. I really didn't think he would do it. My benefit-of-the-doubt bubble has burst. And I probably collected a lot of negative Karma.