Victoria's version of the pickpocket story

Hello Readers (if there are any!),

Lynda started us off to some good stories from Paris ... Here are a few additions and perspectives to the adventure on the top of the Arc de Triumph: (Wish I had a pic of the Arc to insert here :( Kathleen has a good one. But I can't copy her's from Shutterfly.)

The group of 7 of us were all lined up, side by side, looking at the cityscape over the edge of this monument to Napoleon's battles. Mady was on my left and Tara on my right. As I turned slightly to walk behind Mady, I instantly became aware of a person standing very close to Mady AND her shoulder bag. This person's back was very close against Mady's back and bag, looking away from the view of the city. As I glanced down I noticed that the zipper on Mady's bag was just slightly open - about 3 inches. In an instant the following thoughts flashed through my mind:

• perfect opportunity for a pickpocket


• Mady needs to get her bag in front of her body


• no one in our group is monitoring Mady's back


• how do I subtly tell Mady to either move her bag or move away from the person


• pickpockets are fast


• there is not enough time to communicate privately with Mady
  
• if I hesitate, it might be too late. So...be proactive NOW!
  

I then slid my arm between Mady and the person, saying "move back", and at the same time creating a space by nudging this person away. As I did this, I turned and saw that this nearby body was a woman. I also saw a man was standing next to her also with his back against our backs. This couple was light skinned black, conservatively dressed, except for one shock of pink dye in the woman's closely cut hairstyle. I also noticed another man, a bit older, Caucasian with white hair and mustache, just beyond woman's shoulder, but facing the woman, and still very close to all of us. As I said "move back" nudging the woman, this white man threw up his empty hands, shook his head back and forth at me and kept on walking. At the same time, the black woman turned to my face and in very clear English, said angerly, "Why did you push me?"

Now I thought, uh-oh, I goofed. Maybe they were just getting their picture taken as a couple and this guy white was going to take it. Maybe my instinct about a potential theft was wrong. So I immediately apologized and said "I am sorry". The woman angerly asked me again why I pushed her. I apologized again - "I am very sorry" and I added, "I just felt you were too close to my niece and I know that there are pickpockets around these areas. I am so sorry." She continued to confront me, saying I could have made her fall down and get hurt. I again continued to repeat that I was very sorry. She then accused me of pushing her because she was black. I reiterated, that my actions were based on her close proximity to my niece, and I was sorry. In my opinion she then tried to raise the level of confrontation because she now added, "I should slap you!" I responded calmly with, "if you feel you need to do that, go ahead." I think that is how and what was said. Finally, she and the man walked away to the adjacent side of the top of the Arc.

As soon as they left, everyone in our group huddled together. I explained what had just occured. We looked back toward the couple who were now at least 150 feet from us. They were looking at us. Then the woman quickly walked back to us and asked, "What country are you from?" It was quite obvious we were Americans based not so much as how we were dressed, as tourists, but that we were in a tourist area speaking to each other only in English with an American accent. So I did not directly answer her question. I think I said again that I was sorry about offending her. She asked her question again, adding "Are you ashamed of your country?" And again I did not directly answer her question. I think I started to walk away, perhaps, on hearing Lynda's prompt, "Come on, let's go". So I walked toward Lynda and we held onto each other's arms heading toward the stairway. We called to the others for them to follow us. When I looked back, I saw Kathleen and Barbie continuing to talk to the woman. They can tell you their part of the story.

It was quite an experience! I was quivery inside over the next hour. In reviewing what had happened, I knew that I had responded instinctually, but then doubted my instinctutual assessment, etc. But as I remember the incident, and even when I thought that I might have made a error of judgement about the woman, I did feel and continue to feel confident that, in that split second opportunity to either act or not in moving the woman, I had made an appropriate decision.

Here is my assessment of what was happening: The lady was indeed a pickpocket. Barbie reported that she had also felt the woman brush against her. By the way, it was not crowded on top of the Arc de Triumph. There was no reason for the couple to be that close to us. If they were posing for a photo, they would have done it along the rail without a crowd of people by them. Her companion had a coat over his arm. (But so did I.) I think the white man was also an accomplice, someone else to also take a hand off and that is why he threw his hands up. The woman was in a tourist spot, looked like a tourist, and, yes, a tourist could become offended. But a tourist would want to get on with sight seeing, not come back a second time to again fuel such an incident to which I had profusely apologized many times. She wanted to create a scene, a possible distraction to whatever else might be going on. We learned the value of money belts and that pickpockets are not urban legends.

Anyone else want to share their versions of this story?

Victoria