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Background: The Russians (and other Eastern Orthodox) celebrate Christmas on January 7th, the date on the old Julian calendar.
I spent the evening visiting a friend who lives in the other dorm, about a 30 minute walk away. I left at 11:50, and walked to the street where the marshrutkas pass. I saw one pull away as I arrived, but I didn't see anymore pass for several minutes. It being almost 12, I was worried that they were done for the night.
I'm standing out there in the coldest temperature I've yet been in, -16C (3F), when a Russian with a stick comes walking towards me. By stick, imagine a two by four cut in half so it's a 2x2, and a bit shorter. I look out at the road, ignoring him staring directly at me. His glazed over eyes gave away his "altered state." From what I don't know, but my guess was good old alcohol. After a couple of minutes, he came closer and asked the time. It was past midnight now, and I still had not seen a marshrutka come by yet.
Instead of answering, I just held out my phone for him to see. I didn't want to speak and give away that I was a foreigner. He grabbed my phone and asked to make a phone call. The phone was now half in my grip, half in his. I told him I didn't have enough money for him to make a phone call. He mumbled, and I didn't understand what he was saying. He jerked, and the phone slipped out of my hands into his. He started to put the phone in his pocket, when I reached back, and after a couple seconds of struggle, pried it out of his hands.
Still, no marshrutka had passed, and I began to give up hope. My attention on the task at hand, I told him goodbye, and started walking off. He repeated several times "Why goodbye!," but I just left towards the route home. About this time, another Russian arrived and the belligerent one started talking to him, and motioning at me. Great, I thought, he was probably telling him that some foreigner stole his phone.
The two started walking towards me. I was really starting to get pissed now. All I needed was to get in a fight, in sub-freezing weather, against two people, one with a pretty solid piece of lumber. Even if I did win, I'm sure that the police would throw me in jail cause I was the foreigner. About three-quarters of the way towards me, the new arrival broke off and walked away from me. Good, he hadn't heeded the lush.
So now the drunk came over to me, and I didn't understand a word of what he said this time. I would have just walked away earlier, but I saw a minivan in the distance, and I hoped it was a marshrutka. As it pulled nearer, I saw that it wasn't the one I needed. At this point, the guy tapped me with the stick. I started to walk away, and he smacked me pretty hard on the arm. I jogged towards the marshrutka, deciding that a quick escape would be nice. Even if I had to walk far, at least I wouldn't have that guy on my tail. Just as I left, he swung and hit me solidly in the back. My jacket absorbed it pretty well, and I jumped in the van.
Good, problem solved. Unfortunately, the drunkard started running after the marshrutka, and it's route ended about 150 yards down the road. I'd have to get off, and just continue walking the path home. If he decided to chase me, at least I'd have a decent lead.
This is where the real Christmas present comes in. I ask the driver which way to Nalichnaya road, and he says his shift is over, he doesn't go there. I respond that I know, I just want to make sure I'm walking in the right direction. He points it out, and asks where on Nalichnaya I want to go. I tell him Mali and Nalichnaya. He turns the lights off in the car, and starts driving, saying it's on his way home.
Of course, I'm hoping I didn't just jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. A drunken stick wielding Russian I stand a good chance of beating in a fight. However, this driver could have decided, after hearing my accent that I'd be a good person to take to his local Mafia handler, where I'd be kidnapped and ransomed. It didn't feel like that was the case, but it's certainly within the realm of the possible.
When we got to the intersection of Mali and Nalichnaya, he asked if this was it, or if I wanted "next." I didn't understand exactly what he said, but I replied that I lived on Schevchenko street, which was another 300 yards down Mali. Looking back, I realize that he wanted to know which side of the intersection I wanted to be dropped off on. Hearing Schevchenko, he decided to drive me to it.
This van, who's route ended a mere 150 yards from where I was picked up, practically took me to my door. Thus saving a 30 minute walk in -16 degree weather with a staff wielding psycho on my heels. I'd have to say that I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present. Someone knew exactly what to get me.
The damage: My coat absorbed most of the blow to the back, but my left forearm was hit squarely on the side - the part where the bone is next to the skin, with no muscle protecting it. I've got a sizable bruise, a very visible bumb, and a welt with blood drawn on one side.
All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. A couple of days ago, I met a third year student here from Zambia. Russia's not the most racially sensitive place on earth, and I haven't yet met a black Russian. This student had a noticable scar on his right cheek, which, he informed me, was from last year when he was jumped in broad daylight by several people. I literally got sick to my stomach listeing to his story
Moral: There are still f****ed up idiots in the world, as if we didn't alreay know that.
Posted by Owen at January 8, 2004 01:51 AM | TrackBackA pretty unpleasant experience, Owen, but it can happen to anybody, a native or a foreigner. I try to avoid drunk people, especially ones with sticks or big fists -- just do my best to stay away from them. I don't think you'd have had a problem with the police -- the drunk would have. You're a (white, I assume) American, so you can count on much better treatment that a black Zambian or even a native Russian. It's terribly unfair but it's the way it is. Also, I've heard of only one case of a foreigner kidnapped for a ransom. Not by the mafia but a bunch of amateurs from the Caucasus. The mafia have safer sources of income. :-)
Posted by: Alexei at January 8, 2004 02:28 AMActually, you got off pretty easy. First, you stand outside, in the dark, at midnight, with no people around. Then, you talk to a drunk Russian guy, and you give him your cellphone. Then, you blindly trust some random van driver.
I am not sure how I can make this clear, but here goes: any one of these activities can get you mugged, or, more likely killed. I am not kidding. This is Russia, not Simi Valley. Safety-wise, it's a lot less safe than South Central. Please don't pull these stupid stunts again... and if you absolutely must wait for the bus at midnight, then have at least two other friends with you. Make sure these are people you can really trust, not some random guys from the dorm.
Posted by: Bugmaster at January 8, 2004 03:49 AMI'm going to have to jump on the common sense bandwagon here. You don't even do that kind of thing in Simi. It's just not that bright.
Although one thing I've learned in Austin (and I don't know if it applies there), is that if they are drunk (or high or "altered" or whatever) and staring at you, then stare back harder (meaning intensity of gaze). They usually turn the other way like cats or dogs.
Posted by: Jason at January 8, 2004 04:42 AMYeah, either that, or they pull out their knife and kill you. Good advice, Jason.
Posted by: Bugmaster at January 8, 2004 05:00 AMWhat is the matter with you??? You could have seriously hurt yourself or worse killed! You are really really lucky it worked out okay for you but next time you might not be so lucky. Owen, don't ever be that stupid again. Seriously, be more careful and for once in your life, listen to Stas. You worry me so much!
Posted by: Riva at January 8, 2004 09:38 AMNext time, don't hesitate to call police. It's 122 on GSM cell phones.
You are not a Zambian (probably drug pusher), Chinese (probably mafia), or even Finnish (probably drunkard). You are an American, 1st class foreigner, which is better than Russian. No sane cop wants to mess with American consulate, world press, and hordes of federal commissions. At worst they would be slow to arrive and would simply beat up the drunk instead of building the case properly.
The only real-life case when a young American was framed by police was because he, Jack Tobin, ran afoul of FSB. He studied Russian in a military center, and they suspected him being a spy. If you have no military/intelligence affiliation, you have nothing to fear.
BTW, yahoo failed to deliver both my messages to lexlibertas@yahoo.com "connection with mx1.mail.yahoo.com is broken".
First, Bug, the only other option was to walk. Do you think that a better idea? I didn't talk to a drunk Russian, in fact I studiously avoided it. Do you ever read carefully? If I should never trust a "random van driver," meaning a marshrutka, then I would never be able to travel anywhere. And I highly contest the claim that it's safer in South Central than St. Petersburg, especially since I'm ass white. Gee, which place do I fit in better?
Bug, if I lived my life according to your advice, I would never leave my dorm room. Although to back up one step, I would never have come to Russia. I appreciate your looking out for my safety and well being, but I wouldn't be able to walk down the street because I might slip, wouldn't take the bus or the metro because someone might pick my pocket, and wouldn't take the Marshrutka because they might kidnap me. I'm begining to see why you became a computer programmer. Not because you especially like software, but because you're afraid to leave your house, and it the best telecommuting job in the world.
And Jason, "You don't even do that kind of thing in Simi." It's the safest town in America! There are five cops and two firemen on every street.
Posted by: Owen at January 8, 2004 01:19 PMHere are some random safety tips which, while allowing you to leave your house and go wherever you please, will still keep you alive much better than stupidity:
Your status as a first-class foreign citizen will protect you, to an extent. Unfortunately, law enforcement in Russia today is mostly nonexistent; or, rather, it exists, but not for you, since you're not the one who acts as their "krysha" ("protection"). Thus, calling them on the phone will probably be useless -- they won't come for hours. This situation is not as bad in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but it's still pretty bad. Basically, the Russian emergency service, "01", is not nearly as effective as the American "911", so keep that in mind.
Furthermore, being American and therefore rich (funny how people's minds work), you actually make a more attractive target for some unscrupulous people. Keep that in mind.
Sorry I've come in late, but I don't think I missed this answer. Why did you hand over the cell to begin with? Was it some kind of peace offering? I know it was spur of the moment and all, and I'm glad as all hell you're safe after making some silly decisions that I hope you've learned from.
Onto the Bug bandwagon: travel with friends, or at least people you know. And I always like to think that walking away from confrontation safe(even in -16 degree weather) is better than catching a van. If something strange happens, move. Quickly if possible, and call the police, no matter how slow they may come.
Apologies for hopping on the advice pigpile, but I think it's because we're all just glad you made it out of there with just a welt.
Posted by: Rob at January 8, 2004 04:39 PMBug- well, staring back worked for me. Besides, there's an obvious difference between belligerent/menacing and drunk. Austin is notorious (especially closer to the UT campus) for its muggings and various and sundry assaults. It's the ones who aren't inebriated that you start running from.
Owen- Simi may be the safest city in the States, and have five cops and two firemen on every street, but that doesn't mean that things like that don't happen. Like I said before, wandering around alone at night just isn't the smartest thing to do anywhere.
However, I am going to agree that skin color alone can probably make St. Petersburg much safer than Compton.
Posted by: Jason at January 8, 2004 06:28 PMNext time, just kick his ass. Haven't I taught you anything, Owen? ;-) Glad you came out of it okay.
Posted by: Christine at January 9, 2004 09:53 AM