A colleague of mine suffered a very horrible Tuesday morning, horrible, not metaphorically speaking, but literally. She was mugged in a crowded train station in the metropolis, unknowingly. The culprit, expertly, opened her body bag amidst the squished people trying to get into the train. Then the culprit, who happened to be a professionally dressed woman, then meandered through the sea of people unnoticed when she got what she was looking for. However, this colleague of mine just realized her bag was open when she was already inside the train, and by the time she saw the possible culprit walking along the platform, the train already moved. It's a moment of suppressed scream as the buildings of Cubao, Ortigas cinematially crumble at your background. Life just shits on you sometimes.
She realized the only thing missing was her wallet. The wallet. The thing where people usually keep memories, important receipts, credit cards, atm cards and important documents even. Loss of daily minimal cash is frustrating, but not as frustrating and crushing than losing those financial cards, documents and memories. Soon you'll find yourself taking time to visit a notary office, writing letters called affidavit of loss, manually going to the main bank offices to arrange card replacements, and all in all...they're what you call the real HASSLES in life. IN between these efforts to get you back on track, you manage to utter curses and throw murderous thoughts which make you oh-so-negative. That is not something anyone needs right now.
Another colleague of ours even tried to comfort the victim in retelling this particular story wherein some snatched wallets are even returned to the owner. These 'miraculously salvaged' wallets are always found in trash cans by noble civilians or garbage collectors. Well, there's nothing much we can do about it now, but to wait. But living in the 21st century, experiences taught us not to hold our breathes in cases like these.
No matter how you try to be vigilant and aggressive, there will be times wherein your vigilance might wane down for a minute or for a second. Unfortunate for you if in those moments, sharks are lurking by. That is why there are couple of things that I would like to adapt or have already incorporated in my life, that might lessen the blow of being mugged.
1. Never bring large sums of money. Find strategic points or location in carrying your moolah till you reach your target money disposal. Extra vigilance is needed, no moment here to be overconfident. *(My version, I budget and never withdraw large sums of money. The money I have in my wallet are for daily expenses and emergency only)
2. Only bring 1 credit card. Credit cards are for emergency...emergency...emergency. It's not supposed to replace the power of your cash. That is why if you have 2 credit cards (Granted that they are active and clear), just bring one. In the event that you lose your wallet, you have extra credit funding, as you wait for your other card's replacement. You won't be left financially paralyzed or in the mercy of other people's loans.
3. Leave the most memorable stuff like pictures, ID's or letters at home or a shrine even, where you don't bring it along with you. In cases of loss or if someone steals your wallet, you won't get to cry over lost souvenirs and memories.
4. Do not...under any circumstances, keep a list of PIN codes in your wallet. Keep it in an excel file (office/home), cellphones are probable..or much better..find the effort to memorize.
5. Carry on a separate, unsophisticated coin purse. This will serve as your emergency money in going anywhere.
6. Do not panic. Curse if you must. Release your anger by ranting to an understanding friend, and tell the people who might get affected with this loss. OR! Rant to an officer or security guard maybe, that's even better, probably that's the best service that they could offer you..realistically. Find a way of release and not be consumed by it. You don't want those infidels to get a hold in your life.
May this serve as a reminder that we do not live on angel grounds. As much as we'd want to be carefree and idealistic, we have to accept that certain things like these happen. Accepting this dreaded fact is not equal to allowing yourself be the victim.
Happy March Everyone, may we all have a fun-filled, mugged free happy Summer!
No comments:
Post a Comment