Kawatan!

Hay buhay!  This is the third time that I have fallen prey to pick-pockets!  The first time I was in 2002 when my prehistoric Nokia 1011 aka The Pangkaskas ng Yelo (Nokia 7650 na ang kausuhan nung time na yun) was snatched along Commonwealth Avenue.  I was cheerfully testing (Really!  Nakakapag text ako sa phone na yun!  The wonders of Pinoy technical ingenuity!) while riding a jeepney, when out of nowhere, somebody just took it off my hands.  Since it was an old model, I was initially nonchalant about it.  In my mind, it was time to change phones anyway (as if I had the money to do so).  However, the guy sitting in front of me said, "Boss, ayun yung kumuha ng telepono mo."  He was pointing at the sidewalk to a guy in his teens leisurely walking while exploring the unfathomable features of my vintage phone.  At that moment, my mind went blank with rage and I got off the jeepney and shouted "Magnanakaw!  Magnanakaw!"  I was locked on the guy like a linebacker on a blitz!  He went inside the wet market and the commotion attracted the attention of a couple of "mataderos" who decided to help me in my quest for blood.  At the middle of the market, as I started gaining on my prey (I didn't know that at 220 lbs. I could still run that fast) one of the vendors said, "Mama, ayun yung cellphone mo, hinagis sa gilid."  True enough, there was my phone lying in a heap of "pechay" and "sitaw".  I immediately tucked my phone away, hurried back out, and thanked my back up "mataderos" before they realize that the reason for them huffing and puffing was an old piece of junk! I set off at double time when I noticed that they were still holding their machetes during the chase!  

Sa bigat ng phone na ito, nalalaglag ang salawal ko!

Morale of the story:  Do not text while in public transpo!

A couple of years later, I was issued a Nokia E71 (Wow!  High-end na!).  It was barely three months old and was my prized possession.  As part of the helpdesk support, it has been a practice to respond to calls and texts immediately.  So when my phone vibrates as I was in a jeepney terminal, I whip out my phone and text back.  After which, I secure my phone back in my mobile holster and velcroes it in place.  Everything took no more than a minute.  Unfortunately, that was enough impetus to target me for a heist.  A man carrying a big bag on his lap sat beside me.  Whenever I would look his way, he would always yawn in my face---bad breath and all!  Man!  It was like a whiff of Smokey Mountain!  Instinctively, I turned my back away from him throughout the short trip home and diverted my attention to my daughter who was riding with me.  I did not feel a thing nor hear the scrapping sound of the velcro strap being unfastened.  The only indication that he was the culprit was when I got off, he moved along side me as if catching something which I mistook for nothing until I realized that my phone was gone.  Darn!  Strike two!

Morale of the story:  Never display your phone in public places---EVER!

Then last night, I was on my way to meet a friend at Trinoma.  Normally, I would have my phone tucked inside my bag when I travel and it would only be until I get into a secure location do I check for missed calls or messages. For whatever reason, I did not follow that rule.  I guess I was quite certain that nobody would dare attempt to get my phone from my breast pocket without me knowing and receiving a face-full of knuckle sandwich.  Boy was I wrong!  

Before the fly-over at Quezon Avenue (in front of the Centris Mall), a group of middle-aged men got in the bus.  They were a boisterous bunch and in a packed bus---they were really annoying.  They had no where else to go but at the front of the bus where I was seated (a strategy which would allow me to easily alight when I reached my stop).  I called off to the driver that my stop was at Trinoma and slowly wiggled my way out passing the irritating group of men blocking the exit.  Once inside the mall, I reached for my phone and it was gone!  Mother @#$%&*!!  I did not feel a thing except for the gut feel that one of those guys where the perpetrator since I still felt my phone in my pocket as I stood to get off the bus!  Goodbye Nokia N8!

Moral of the story:  Respect the Pinoy Pick Pocket!  If you think your phone is secure---it isn't.