foreign citizen´s arrest

It was only a matter of time. The other week when Melissa and I went into Mendoza, it happened. Thievery. Before you get all worked up though, just know that they were defeated. I was victorious. It happened like this.

We were sitting in a corner cafe, long since having finished a cafe con leche and brownie. We were passing the time by writing postcards and daydreaming out the window in our lonesome corner in the empty cafe. Two people enter the cafe and stall at the doorway. They stroll over and sit down right next to us. I think I even smiled at them. My bag was right next to my feet, but on the outside edge of the table. I go back to writing and suddenly two other people are tapping of the glass, waving their hands, and pointing at the floor on the window side of the table. I look over and dont see anything there, and luckily look the other way to see my bag halfway over to the other people´s table and backpack! I grabbed it and started looking to see if all my stuff was all still inside. I was still confused at what was happening. Melissa had me double check my things, and then we grabbed our journals and cards and left, still confused at what had gone on. Was it a mistake? An honest mix-up?

As soon as we crossed the street, we look back and see the two people inside the cafe get up and leave. The pieces fall together as Melissa says she remembers seeing all four of them togther on the sidewalk earlier. We even decided that the waitress was in on it! I am pissed off. Melissa says, "Thats ridiculous. I want to give them a piece of my mind." I ask her what she would possible say to them, while realizing myself that I wanted to do the same, whether they understood me or not. We look at each other and then tear down the street after the thieves. We see them, all four, strolling down the street laughing and speed up. They looked back and saw us coming and immediately split up and started running. We followed one couple and started yelling whatever we could think of at them. They stopped and turned and in broken spanish I asked them what was up and told them that they were very bad. I said I knew what they were trying to do and that they were all ugly people. They backed away slowly saying something about not being bad and then turned away and ran.

I felt great. And bad. What if? What would I have done? Why was I so stupid? How could those people be so bad? We were all shaken up for the rest of the evening and only found peace by running across a chocolate shop and getting a few pieces of carmel and fudge to ease our nerves. I was glad that they were bad thieves but am now more aware of what can happen. Point taken.