They Say A Conservative Is A Liberal Who Has Been Pick-pocketed, But I'm Already A Conservative

I quickly grabbed the woman by the shoulders of her down jacket so she couldn't get back on the Metro.  I dragged her over by the wall.  And that's how I got my iPhone back.

Now that I've got you hooked, I'm writing this out of order of events, because I'm still running on adrenaline after Carol and I thwarted a pickpocket.

I had been sick all night and most of the day.  We finally went for a walk around 5:45 pm.  Carol had been in and out all day, but I was feeling cooped up.  Before the walk, I had less than 200 steps on my Fitbit, which is pretty pathetic.

After the walk through Citadel Park, we came back, and I was working on planning our last nine days here (just nine days left -- yikes, the calendar is slipping by too quickly).  I realized that we might well miss the Magic Fountain -- especially if the weather forecasts of rain for tomorrow and next Friday/Saturday held firm (the weather here always starts out predicting rain, and then turns sunny).

I talked Carol into going to the Magic Fountain (a blog post on that will come as part of the natural rotation). 

On our way back, we were getting off at our home stop, the Barceloneta Metro.  These two Latin Americans, a short man and a short woman (their height matters to the story) popped up and got in front of the door.  They were probably in their late 40s.  She was wearing a lightweight down jacket, and he was carrying a similar one.

As the trained stopped, he wheeled, while she blocked Carol  Then he also blocked Carol.  As we got off the train, they brushed against me.  Carol stopped him from getting back on the train, said "Glen" at the same time I realized my pocket was light.

I guess I had gotten a bit too casual.  After keeping my wallet behind a zipper and my iPhone under a button flap, I was protective of my phone.  My wallet was protected, but my phone was just deep in my pocket.  Being short, they had easy access to my pocket.  (Yes, I will be keeping both safe from now on). 

They rushed to get back on the train.  I channeled my inner Lawrence Taylor, grabbing her by the shoulders of her jacket and dragging her away.  I did that not to leave the guy to Carol to subdue (although I do have faith in her), but because I thought she had the phone in her bag.  I was about to rifle through her bag.

It's the second reason "short" came into play.  We both towered over the two, and he quickly decided that physicality was not an option.  Nor, I supposed, was being arrested.

Suddenly the guy is reaching to pick my iPhone off the floor.  Except it wasn't on the floor, it was in his hand whilst he was reaching down.  (Editor's Note: "Whilst?" Blogger: My brother Rod and I are the only two Americans I know who regularly use "whilst" -- and it is glorious!)

He handed me the phone and I handed him his woman.  Rather than follow up with the hassle of trying to find a cop or beating the snot out of the guy, we turned on our heels and departed the premises, already excitedly replaying what just happened.  And to think it happened in a non-busy Metro car.  

My friend John Passacantando has my favorite saying of all time -- "It's not an adventure till the first thing goes wrong."  Well, it didn't go wrong, but like the Correfoc, it was definitely an adventure!

Well, I nearly got pickpocketed, so I suppose I'm truly living the full Barcelona experience!