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1
March 2001
I was up early, got my dinghy inflated and my dear little engine installed.
After breakfast I went over to Carol's boat and was invited on board. Her
husband, Buggi was already working on(/fiddling around with) the engine and the
boat was clearly marked by(/bear the impress/stamp) the repairs that have lasted
for many months (now). If she tidies up (the place) she (might, edit) forget(s)
where she put it. And no matter where she puts it, it's going to be out of my
reach when I'm going(/gonna) need it (the) next time. But it was clear that they
enjoyed some company. We haven't been sitting like this and having coffee with
anyone for the past seven months, Buggi said. I ended up staying there for lunch
and watched pictures(/photos) of their family and from their cruise, they have
been on their way for five years now. They want to go up along the American east
coast and later sell their boat there and buy a mobile home and see a bit(/some)
of their own country. I reminded them that they should remember to live and they
asked me to (please) come back another day, and it was Buggi who said it; guess
that's a start. By the way I know Denmark. I went to Tivoli (Copenhagen, edit)
back in 1958. At that time he was a soldier(/in the army) and stationed in
Germany.
So I went back to Trojka to pick up the boat I had carved for an Australian boy
who turns 7 today.
I had some coffee and we sailed a little with the boat. I had sewed a sail from
a t-shirt.
Back on Trojka I took the water taxi to shore and went into town. I decided to
just go for a walk. That was a decision I shouldn't have made(/That was stupid),
I got(/was) mugged. I was walking alongside the road in heavy traffic. And when
I passed a hole in the hoarding(/billboard) I felt a knock(/blow) to my back and
someone tried to pull me backwards in my shirt which just came undone(/gave in).
I reacted by balancing on my right foot, lifting my left foot above the knee(s)
and used all force and weight to "stamp" off his knee caps while I swung him a
edge-of-hand blow right to(/in) the(/his) throat. It was a precise(/good) hit
and he went (straight, edit) to the ground. His accomplice started running. I
didn't want to help him and continued rapidly(/quickly/swiftly) only to be
stopped by a motorcycle officer 500 metres down the street. Ohh shit I thought,
now I have got trouble. But I didn't. I was taken to the station on the back of
the motorcycle without any helmet for them to write a report. And I ought
to(/should) press charges, the police told me.
He had lost consciousness when they threw him into the back of a police car and
drove him to the hospital. There is no sloppiness(/mercy) here. I'm (pretty)
sure that if he had moved even just slightly they had put a bullet in him. They
are very(/quite) "rough"(/"tough").
Many of the police officers came to me to congratulate me! I just felt like
getting out of there. I promised to return with my passport one of the following
days, which I have no intention of doing. I would head out(/leave) today if it
weren't that I am to meet Nat (here, edit) on Sunday. And I can't sail the
upcoming(/next) distance without seeing her again. My knees are growing weak.
I did however leave the marina and went to an out of the way(/remote) anchorage
for safety's sake. I don't feel convinced at all that I won't suddenly get
detained. And (just) yesterday I thought this place was so bloody safe.. When
leaving the police station they offered to give me a ride in one of the patrol
cars, wherever I wanted to go. I insisted on taking a taxi so they called one.
What they had told the (taxi) driver I do not know, but the ride was free of
charge, he told me! |