I got robbed... kinda

[vaultdweller25]

Well I was outside Namba station in Osaka having a smoke about to head home for the night when this guy with sunglasses (it was 11.30 at night), a bald head and dressed fully in pinstripe black clothes came up, grabbed my smoke out of my hand and started smoking it.

I thought WTF n asked him what he was doing. "Smoking" he replied and asked if I would like to sit down for a moment (there was a ledge to sit on). I said I had to catch a train and then BAM! He moved right up close infront of me flashed his knife and asked me if I would like to sit again. I said I would.

So I sit down and he snuggles up beside me with his knife against my back and asks for my wallet. I comply as I am shitting myself at this point. Joke was on him, I only had 1000 yen (I had luckily spent the rest of my money on drinking ) He pockets it and asks me where the rest is. I tell him "the rest" does not exist.

He seems kinda dissapointed in me and I almost feel bad I couldn't have pleased him a little more... almost. Anyways he lights up a smoke and gives me one and starts giving me the routine questions, How tall are you?, Do you live Japan? ("Not anymore" I replied) etc

As he is chatting to me I mentioned that I am gonna find it hard to get home now my train money has been taken. He looks a little surprised and say "In that case, here's your money back" and put it in the wallet and give me my wallet back to. "Thanks" I mumble.

He tells me if Im lying, he is gonna kills me and sends me on my way. I catch my train still amazed that I was robbed and my money was given back to me.

One thing I can say is that he was very very proffesional about the whole thing. I felt like it was more of a business transaction than a robbery. I have traveled extensivley throught Thailand, Cambodia and Laos without ever a problem like this. Kinda hit me by surprise and brought me down to earth a bit.

Anyone else had anything remotely like this before?

[Samurai_Jerk]

I've never been robbed here, but I have been assaulted

[amdg]

That's a bit bizarre. Japanese guy, I presume? How old was he? Did he seem drunk? 11.30 in front of Namba station - there must have been a lot of people around, no? Sounds like you kept your cool pretty well though.

[vaultdweller25]

Yeah, he was no doupt Japanese (we spoke in Japanese). He seemed to me around 28. He didn't seem drunk either, he was quite on top of his game.

The odd thing is there were a lot of people walking past at the time. This is why I think nobody noticed as it was such a damn unlikely farfetched place for a robbery. This didn't seem to phase him and when the knife was flashed I freaked and did not think of drawing attention to get him away from me, next thing he had my wallet, a great hostage!

I can say it must not have looked like I was getting robbed, more like just a half drunken Gaijin having a chat with a random J-Punk. It did run through my head once or twice to try and give him a knock and then snatch my wallet back and run but the balls did not produce themselves in the face of getting knife'd.

[DrP]

Yeah a bit wierd --- I'd say its probably not a yak 'cause the street soldiers would be wearing tracks and not a suit. And if it was a yak - he's prolly just drunk and messing with you - keeping his chops up. Rarely do they want to do this kind of shakedown since it does bring heat to them, and some measure of social responsibility to the police - so payback points are involved.

From the sounds of it - I'd guess SE Asian or Korean gangsta-on-tour. Or hell, it could even be a salaryman playing gangsta for the fun of it (salaryman cosplay reaches well into this realm). You are an easy mark - since if the salaryman did this to any other japanese he'd be either arrested immediately or berated as a fool.

I dig the Munchausen syndrome like spirit you have.... btw.

[amdg]

Well, anyway the main thing is you're not cut up and you've still got all your cash.

Nothing like that has ever happened to me here. The weirdest thing for me was being pulled off the street and into a van one night as I was on my way home. The van just pulled up along side me, sliding door opened and 4 guys pulled me into the back.

It was all good though, they wanted me to help them pick up chicks. Good bunch of guys actually, I ended up introducing the driver to his current wife and they have three kids now.

[Samurai_Jerk]

You definitely DON'T want to try to knock a knife out of someone's hand unless he's already trying to cut you and you've got no way to escape. Like my friends father used to say, "fight the gun, run from the knife."

[Ke11iente]

I can't believe you had the balls to mention that you'd have a hard time getting home because he took your train money. And then I can't believe he gave it back to you...

Maybe he's part of some weird tourism organization that's in charge of giving gaijin interesting stories to tell when they get back home. Like "In Japan, even if you get robbed, if you just explain that you actually kind of need that money, the theives are so polite that they'll give it back to you!"
..... or something like that.

[eighty5er]

[quote="amdg"]Nothing like that has ever happened to me here. The weirdest thing for me was being pulled off the street and into a van one night as I was on my way home. The van just pulled up along side me, sliding door opened and 4 guys pulled me into the back.

It was all good though, they wanted me to help them pick up chicks. ]

That's one of the weirdest stories ever

[American Oyaji]

See. When I get scared, I get mad. When I get mad, bad things happen to other people.

I would have knocked his ass flat after the cigarrette bullshit.

[Adhesive]

[quote="amdg"]Well, anyway the main thing is you're not cut up and you've still got all your cash.

Nothing like that has ever happened to me here. The weirdest thing for me was being pulled off the street and into a van one night as I was on my way home. The van just pulled up along side me, sliding door opened and 4 guys pulled me into the back.

It was all good though, they wanted me to help them pick up chicks. ]


That's hilarious.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I would have knocked his ass flat after the cigarrette bullshit.

Not if he stabbed you first.

Anyway, if you really are as big as you say, it's unlikely he'd target you.

[AssKissinger]

See. When I get scared, I get mad. When I get mad, bad things happen to other people.

I would have knocked his ass flat after the cigarrette bullshit.

I would have taken the knife from him and then forced him to take me to Charles' mother's house.

[Greji]

I would have taken the knife from him and then forced him to take me to Charles' mother's house.

It may have been her in drag. You never know in Namba!

[American Oyaji]

Anyway, if you really are as big as you say, it's unlikely he'd target you.

True.

[Phoenix_stu]

I would have knocked his ass flat after the cigarrette bullshit.

Amen brother. I wouldn't stand there and take that crap.

[kurohinge1]

Well I was outside Namba station in Osaka . . .

I think you did the right thing. Your instincts served you well and/or you have a guardian angel.

There's no point in risking your life or being left with a permanent injury over some money. I just hope I can practice what I preach if I am ever unlucky enough to be in a similar situation.

Kind of ironic that this haggling over amounts happened at "Namba" station.

[vaultdweller25]

T'was one of the oddest things that had ever happened to me. If it happened to me again would have to say I probably would have done the same thing.

Gave me a good old slap in the face and brought me down to earth about crime in Japan. There may not be as much as back home, but its still there.

[eighty5er]

Amen brother. I wouldn't stand there and take that crap.

This has a lot to do with confidence in your own ability to knock someone on his ass. If you have this kind of confidence in you you will radiate it and, as SJ pointed out, you're less likely a target.

[AssKissinger]

Nobody knows what the fuck they would do until it happens and even then you don't know what the fuck you're gonna do next time. Sometimes I'm brave as fuck and sometimes I'm a big fucking pussy and the same goes for everyone else. So fuck this I would've done blah blah blah BULLSHIT.

[American Oyaji]

Nobody knows what the fuck they would do until it happens and even then you don't know what the fuck you're gonna do next time. Sometimes I'm brave as fuck and sometimes I'm a big fucking pussy and the same goes for everyone else. So fuck this I would've done blah blah blah BULLSHIT.

AK, sometimes you need to rethink what you write sometimes. You just came across as arrogant and know-it-allish as Charles can be at times. Thing is you are worse because you're cursing while doing it.
Some people KNOW because they HAVE been in the situation before. Growing up black in the U.S., one faces a lot of bullshit. I HAVE had someone take something of mine that was not theirs. I HAVE had someone pull a knife on me and in both cases, I kicked their asses.

[AssKissinger]

Just because it happened before doesn't mean fucking shit in regards to what you'll do next time in a different situation so fuck you.

[kurohinge1]

. . . Some people KNOW because they HAVE been in the situation before. Growing up black in the U.S., one faces a lot of bullshit. I HAVE had someone take something of mine that was not theirs. I HAVE had someone pull a knife on me and in both cases, I kicked their asses.

I wouldn't have expressed AK's point in quite the same language but I must say, AO, no two situations are ever the same and I firmly believe that you don't want to ever limit your options.

The first post in this thread is a great example of that.

I'd like to know if vaultdweller25 reported it to the keystone cops, and how many FG's would have the patience to report it if it happened to them.

[American Oyaji]

Just because it happened before doesn't mean fucking shit in regards to what you'll do next time in a different situation so fuck you.

Go blow it out your ass. And I hope you pop a hemorrhoid.

[American Oyaji]

I wouldn't have expressed AK's point in quite the same language but I must say, AO, no two situations are ever the same and I firmly believe that you don't want to ever limit your options.

Actually Blackbeard, I'm pretty sure how I'll react depending on the situation. It was drilled into me by my pops. Basically, kill everything that even LOOKS like it wants to start some shit. And if shit gets started, finish it. That has been the way I've lived my life and I've been in some crazy situations and my first instinct has always been to kill. Not hurt. Kill. People learned early to leave me strictly the fuck alone. I don't permit provocation. Someone pushes me in anger, I'm swinging to take their head straight off their shoulders. And I don't stop swinging until they are down and I'm sure they are staying down. I will bite, claw, kick and grab anything at hand to make sure they stay down and have done so. I try to avoid situations where I'm scared or angry, because I know how I am and what I am capable of, so when I say I would knock someone on their ass, it's not just talk, it's experience.

[kurohinge1]

. . . I will bite, claw, kick and grab anything at hand to make sure they stay down and have done so. I try to avoid situations where I'm scared or angry, because I know how I am and what I am capable of . . .

* kurohinge1 nods enthusiastically while backing slowly towards the door without making direct eye contact*

That sounds great, AO.

Is that the time?

I gotta go.

[amdg]

I propose a motion to NEVER mess with OA. All in favour?


AO will draw you a picture of how he's gonna kick your ass...then mail it to you ten days in advance. The picture gets there, right? You go,"What the hell is this?". Then AO knocks on your door, properly kicks your ass...and you still won't know what happened to you.


AO whoop your ass so bad that you could write it off on your taxes.

[American Oyaji]

AO whoop your ass so bad that you could write it off on your taxes.

ROFLMAO!! I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to use that line in my book!
Be sure you'll get a signed NUMBERED copy of it too, plus a thanks.

[amdg]

AO - wish I could claim it was my line. Unfortunately I'm not that original.

That line (and the one above it) was from the movie "Pooty Tang".

I still want a copy of the book though!

[GuyJean]

.. I will bite, claw, kick and grab anything at hand to make sure they stay down and have done so...

GJ