Target Practice

I spent the end of Thursday (25 October) afternoon walking around Gdansk, from the shipyards in the north section where the Solidarity Union was active in the 70's and 80's, to the old town in the south. As twilight came, I was in the main town square section looking around and taking photographs in the crowd of tourists.

I saw something high up that I wanted to take a photograph of, so I was looking up and adjusting my camera and moving around a little to adjust my angle. Then I decided to turn and move a little to my right side. As I turned, I noticed with my peripheral vision that someone had silently moved h'way too close to me than he had any business being. This person then quickly moved their arm back around my side and darted off. I didn't feel any contact, not even a brush, so I was pretty sure I hadn't lost anything. I noticed a teenage Polish boy moving away from me through the crowd and then taking an unoccupied seat on a bench, presumably with his friends: if I didn't know any different, he'd be just another innocent school kid hanging out.

I checked all my pockets a few times and walked in the opposite direction. He couldn't have gotten much anyway, but I suppose it's the thought that counts. I'm not sure if he was trying to get to my pockets or whether he was going to try to wrench my camera out of my hand and run off. In any case, it definitely took the fun momentarily out of further sight seeing. I'd been cold for a while and it was already dark and I needed to get dinner, so I headed back to my hotel.

So my lesson is that, no matter how many people come up to me and start speaking to me in a foreign language, Jorje, this kid, and our Norwegian friends Thor and Loki (aka Crockett and Tubbs) prove I needn't worry: I still stick out blaringly to those whose profession it is to notice strangers and pick targets. Even if I'm not paying attention, these people are out there, watching and waiting for their chance. And I have to be ready...