I got off the metro and noticed how there were an inordinate amount of teenage boys hanging out at the top of the escalators. I emerged from the escalator and walked away from the station with my earphones on. Usually I'm listening to a marketplace podcast but today I figured I'd listen to some modest mouse. I had just walked past the barber shop when I felt a hand going into my pocket, so I automatically without thinking put my hand in my pocket to keep my iphone from being snatched out. I looked over and saw some kid in his late teens yelling "gimme your ipod!" I looked at him for a moment, taking in what he looked like, that he had short braids, a semi-dark complexion, beady eyes, unshaven peach fuzz, and a bright blue aqua hoodie. I then took in a deep breath and bellowed out "POLICE!" that could easily be heard a block away. The kid freaked, yelled, "oh shit!" and took off. I yelled out at him, "FUCKER!" and that was the end of it.

I called the cops when I got home to ask them to step up their patrol around the GA/Petworth Metro Station. This turned into multiple transfers, different phone numbers to call, and multiple call backs. Turns out that while Metro Transit police had an interest since it started out on metro property but since the actual incident took place on a public sidewalk, I had to call DC police. I ended up talking to both a beat cop and a detective that parked themselves in my living room for half an hour taking my report. They left telling me that they wished we lived in a world where a person could walk home from the metro and enjoy their music but we don't. The detective was very pessimistic about the city and it being "crime infested."

Shortly after, I got a call back from the metro transit police. Originally, they had told me they'd send out a car to take a "police info report" but then they were swamped or something and just took my account over the phone.

I don't know how I feel about the whole situation, either I can have these skirmishes or I can pay 4 bucks a gallon along with the 300 dollar car payment along with the 100 dollars for insurance a month. I dunno...I'm not sure if my days are numbered or not in terms of living in the city, but it sure does make me wish we lived in a more civil world.