I was the last one to got on the metro. When the door closed behind my back, I automatically wanted to move into the cart to get ready for the incoming passengers next stop. I found myself could not move and could only see chests and shoulders at my eye level; those people surrounded me were tall, and none of them moved. There were many standing passengers in this cart, but for sure there was space for people to move inward. What's going on? I tried to push a little, still, no one budged. I was walled in. Then I saw something looked like a piece of fabric coming toward my face. I panic. I remembered this...where? My brain cells must turned lightening fast, searching... and pull out the memory of...an European movie called "Vanish", a movie gave me the chill to no end. A guy abducted strangers for no reason by sedated them with ether soaked fabric. Victims woke up and found themselves in a coffin buried underground. Horrified, I let out a roar and push away hard, before the fabric reaching my face. All of these happened fast, and everything seemed like a blur. Next thing I knew, I found myself stood 4 seats away from that door to the right, panting, fingers clutched hard to the vertical rail. Once in a secured area, I instinctively looked toward the direction where I was blocked, wanted to know what happened. One tall guy next to the door was staring at me. My gut feeling told me that's the guy with the fabric, the guy just failed to rob a gray haired Asian woman. I stared back. The lady passenger sat right in front of me looked at me with sympathy, her eye and mouth expression showed me, even though not in English: those are the gangs. Three seats to her left, a Spaniard who sat right next to the standing gangster, also looked at me, no sympathy, just curiosity. I suddenly realized these locals all knew what just happened, (I wonder how loud was my "roar",) but no one did anything to help... I exchanged stares with the tall guy again, wanted to show him my middle finger, but decided against it; they had several in the cart while no one was on my side. Next stop was up, he stepped off the cart, strolled leisurely toward two policemen patrolled on the platform and chatted. Welcome to Madrid!
Nothing missing from my backpack. The important things, money, cards, and passport, all in my hiking pants pocket down at the level next to my knees. I subtly touched the pocket to make sure the stuff were there. Unless the thief has long arms like gibbon, the pocket was hard to reach. Strangely, this incident seemed leave no residue in my journey. I continued the trip to Portugal without fear or worries.
Coming from the famous coast of Nazari to Lisbon, I loaded my backpack with pastries from a famous bakery. Hurried to the Metro, I realized I would be the last one to get on the cart. Hesitated for half second, I decided not to wait for next train. When the door closed behind me, I felt like Déjà vu (or a Ground Hog Day?) all over. I was again cornered at the door for several seconds, only this time there was no fabric coming to my face. The blockage was to buy time for them to go through my backpack, which was (surprise!) a big box of food. I expertly push those guys away and moved to the door at the opposite side of the cart. One guy stood facing me pointed at my backpack. Oh, the zip was opened. I nodded at him as to say thanks, moved my pack to the front, closed the zip. Something was off with this guy, I just couldn't place it. When he stepped off at next stop, my eyes followed him to the platform. Instead of heading to the Metro exit, he went directly to the next cart and get on again! Damn, he's with the gang, and they infested the Metro.
So I dodged the infamous Europe petty theft. Twice. If you asked how I felt at this time, I would say more defiant than worried, like they had their chance and blew it. It never occurred to me that they would finally get me on the third try.
我是最後一個進車廂的，門在背後關起來之後，我自動的要向車廂裡走，空出空間給下一站的乘客進來。沒想到我完全沒法移動，眼前看到的都是前胸和肩膀，站在我四周的人都很高，而且他們都不向內移。進車廂前瞟了一眼，人雖多，但也應該有移動的空間。這些人有什麼毛病啊。我再次想向裡擠，還是一點都推不動。我覺得被關在高牆裡了。突然間我看見一塊布向我臉前逼近，我嚇壞了，這個景象我記得的，在那裡？腦神經飛轉，要找出為什麼這景象這麼熟。哦！是一部歐洲片叫‘消失’，多年前看的，但是令我毛骨聳然，一直記得。一個人把乙醚灑在布上，麻醉夾持完全不相關的陌生人。被夾持的人醒來時已經被埋在地下的棺木裡等死了。（當然現在沒有乙醚，否則全車都聞的到。）我簡直魂都沒了，不知那裡來的力氣，大吼一聲，用力一推，同時向前衝。整個事件只有短短的幾秒鐘，很快很糢糊地就過了。我發現自己站在離那車門四個座位之外的另一個門邊喘氣，手指緊扣著鐵棍扶手。覺得安全之後，我馬上回去看剛才站的地方，想知道到底發生了什麼事。發現那個站在門邊的高個子正瞪著我。我直覺地知道他就是那個拿布的人，那個沒能制服我這灰髮女人的大高個。當然，我也還瞪回去。坐在我前面的女乘客看著我，嘴巴說些什麼。當然我聽不懂西班牙文，但是她的眼神表情對我卻很清楚。她說那些人都是同黨。她旁邊兩個位子的男乘客也一直看著我，但是看戲的成分居多。我突然了解，這些當地人都知道發生了什麼事，但是沒人出來幫我。我又和那高個子互瞪了一番，很想伸出中指罵他，還是沒敢。車上他的同黨很多，我只有自己。下站到了，高個子悠閑地下車，走向月臺和警察聊天。這就是馬德里給我的歡迎禮。
背包裡的東西沒被搶走。重要的錢，信用卡，錢卡，護照，都放在我開在膝蓋旁邊的長褲口袋裡。除非是長臂猿，一般人要屈身才碰的到。我假裝若無其事地碰一下那口袋，都還安在。這事件之後，很令自己驚訝的是，我一點也不憂慮害怕，繼續去葡萄牙的旅程。
從有名的度假海岸 Nazari 去里斯本，我在當地有名的店買了一堆糕餅，裝在紙盒裡。皮箱放不下了，只好放在背包裡。拉著行李箱，跑著上地鐵，又是最後一個進車廂的。我遲疑了半秒鐘，要不要上？懶得等下一班了，上去吧。一進車廂，馬上發現舊事重演，又被卡在車門前，完全動不了。只是這次沒有布。短短被圍了一下，（所以他們有時間拿背包裡的點心！哈哈！）我照樣用力一推，突出重圍，到對面門邊。旁邊一個男子指指我的背包，哦，拉鏈開了。我向他點個頭，表示謝意，把背包移到前面，拉上拉鏈。但是這人有點奇怪，那裡奇怪？說不上來。下站到了，我看著此人下車，到月臺之後，他不向出口走，拐個彎，左轉，又進了前一節車廂。混蛋！原來這幫人都是同黨，成天在地鐵站謀生的人！
我歷經兩次有名的歐洲偷盜，居然全身而退。這時的我，不但不怕，不擔心，反而覺得走路有風，沒人能把我怎麼樣。打死我也想不到，第三次他們這些狗賊終於成功。
No comments:
Post a Comment