It's about time

I've been living in DC for almost 5 years now. Many of my friends and family members from the Heartland are convinced that bullets wiz by my head constantly, but i never feel unsafe. However, i was mugged on Saturday.

Even though it is often bragged about as the murder capital (both literally and metaphorically since Bush has been in office), DC has always seemed quite charming to me...narrow, tree lined streets, dog parks, standard coldness to strangers, etc. It is a city, without doubt, but it always seemed kinda small and harmless. I walk Olive at all hours of the day and night by myself and stumble home in questionable states of sobriety several times a week and have never gotten so much as a dirty look.

Walking home from Adams Morgan on Saturday, i was actually on my very best behavior...only a little tipsy and with two friends. It was just my time, i guess.

The most interesting thing i noticed is one's natural reaction to danger. My friend didn't make a sound...I screamed like a crazed lunatic. My friend laid down on the sidewalk armadillo-style to protect herself...I became enraged and fought back resulting in a rather painful head injury. Neither of us gave up our purses, despite common knowledge that it is the best way to escape unscathed. Neither of us remember making a decision to react one way or another.

The most comical thing about it is that the attackers would have been quite disappointed had they managed to wrestle our purses from us. As usual, between the two of us, we had around $0.80. I don't carry cash, which is why i often find myself walking for lack of cab fare.

I couldn't call myself a proud Liberal if I hadn't spent years in college researching the social implications of capitalism so, really, i don't feel anger toward these men. They probably needed some money and figured it would be easier to score some off me than find a job, which in reality may be just the case. That being said, I could have done without that punch (so much for all those boxing lessons, right?). Either way, they were caught just 2 blocks away.

After recovering from minor heart failure and brain damage, I am able to see happiness in the situation. For one, I'm alive. Also, if only to appease my worried parents, I shall probably take more cabs, a very fabulous DC thing to do anyway.

Get Over It by OK GO