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Beth Fridinger
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1/25/2009 11:57:42 PM
I was robbed tonight
At 10:15 in the legendary Downtown Crossing subway station on the Forest Hills side (Boston, MA), some 20 something yr old guy came up to me, looked me straight in the eye, then oddly bent over and scooped up my money and ran...I grabbed him...mind you with my strat on...he fell, my amp and chair with CD player got knocked over in the process but nothing broke... I tried to hold on to the bastard but he got away, but another wonderful guy named Mark tackled him to the ground hitting him hard, and got my money back for me...the bastard got away. We filed a police report...I only had about 18 or 20 one dollar bills in the case...so I learned a good lesson here...don't leave the money out...from now on I won't leave more than $3 in the goddam case....there have been times when I had $50 to $100 in that case...but I'll be damned if I let anybody rob me...I should go apply for a firearms license so I can carry mace. I was not afraid, but disappointed I couldn't hold on to him...very glad the guy got him and got the money back, but wish the guy was arrested. This is also a good reason not to bring valuable instruments down there! LOL
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1/26/2009 12:04:06 AM
This is why you should never busk without an evil sidekick, preferably an ankle biting chiwawa ( those things are vicious and relentless ! )
Anyway, that sucks, but you made out alright in the end... I hope you rewarded tackle man with grateful sex or something ? Grateful sex is the best...
Seriously, glad you're alright and still got your 20 bones accounted.
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Nigels
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1/26/2009 12:47:34 AM
Beth
I am sorry to here of this and I hope your OK and not to knocked around by the experience. The sidewalk is full of dangerous clowns.
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satch
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1/26/2009 1:43:56 AM
All's well that ends well?
Glad it wasn't worse, and you have a great attitude Beth, I think that you have spotted the right lesson to learn from a horrid experience!
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The CODE
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1/26/2009 3:41:05 AM
Beth - what a horrible experience! Glad Mark stepped
up to the plate and knocked the B'Stard down!
Any CCTV coverage in the Station - the perp may be
on there?
Get your license! And Good Luck!
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Dick Aven
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1/26/2009 3:47:10 AM
What kind of people steal from musicians?!
Glad yer ok.
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1/26/2009 3:56:46 AM
ha ha Dick... oh the irony... it's a subtle thing.
I bet that thief steals bananas off fruit stands as well ! Bastard... I hope he trips on his shoes laces right in front of a runaway gorilla and ends up with nothing but a peel and a bit of sympathy from a kindly hooker named Frank who feeds him a hot meal and expects allot of loving in return !
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Andy Broad
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1/26/2009 5:07:26 AM
---- Updated 1/26/2009 5:10:24 AM
Very sorry to hear that happened to you.
It's very frustrating and annoying, when you working so hard for so little, and some idiot tries to take it from you.
I've had a number of similar experiences over my busking years. Like you my instinct was to grab at the thief, no one ever got away yet.... afterwards however I wince as my les paul / acoustic guitar depending on the event is worth so much more than a couple of pound coins, not to mention my personal safety!
I've had children come up and try and steal quite a few times as well, that's hard, as kids used to come up and play with the money and I'd let them, then a few bad kids start swipeing it and you can't let any of them play any more.
You're right to clear some of the money out. I always take the notes out straght away, stops them blowing away, but then we have pound coins and you have dollar bills, so you might want to leave a few in so that people see one and give another, if it's just small coins they'll likely follow suit with more small change.
Don't get that license! If somewhere is dangerous you need a weapon, play somewhere else! THings like this will happen again but not often, so concentrate on the positive people!
Andy
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Hop On Pop
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1/26/2009 6:15:49 AM
Glad that you're okay Beth and that your knight in shining armor showed up to save your hard-earned pay.
And, if that bastard is low enough to do something like that once, chances are he'll do it again. And, eventually he'll get caught. And I hope that he does.
But, mostly, I'm glad that you're okay.
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Duane Flock
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1/26/2009 6:41:18 AM
Glad you're OK Beth.
There's a lot of musicians in San Francisco that busk. There are even some of those that paint themselves gold or silver and act like robots when you put money in thier cans. They stand perfectly still (frozen) until you drop some change. Thing is though, the traffic is really heavy where they pick to reside which makes it harder for thieves to get away. I don't busk as much anymore myself, cause you need expensive permits and such.
Good Luck to you and stay safe!
D.
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Hugh Hamilton
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1/26/2009 7:10:09 AM
Beth I'm so sorry you had that experience and I join the other folks in admiring your toughness. But I'd also remind you that if the jerk had been carrying any kind of weapon and had it handy you could really have been injured. That couldn't possibly be worth 20 bucks.
I'm like you when push comes to shove and it sounds like you acted instinctively, but I'd hate to think of anybody being injured or worse.
Since you were wearing a Strat I figure maybe you'd like to see how Keith Richards puts his Tele to good use on occasion. Might come in handy in your stage act:
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Beth Fridinger
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1/26/2009 10:05:08 AM
Yeah can't leave any money in the case, it's too easy to grab it and run... and can't bring expensive instruments out there either. I might invest in pepper spray...because it could happen any place...I know someone who had his guitar robbed at Park Street Station...you never know; no place is safe really. But ya gotta live.
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The Man With No Band
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1/26/2009 10:18:49 AM
Glad you are O.K. Beth ... Take solace in knowing the villain shall get his ... I think in the after-life he will be tied to chair and forced to listen to Slim Whitman throughout eternity ...
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Maria Daines
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1/26/2009 1:32:24 PM
So glad you're ok Beth and relieved a hero good guy stepped in to help you.
Keep safe and all our best,
Love from Maria & Paul xx
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Village Jammers
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1/26/2009 1:53:31 PM
glue a couple of fivers to the inside of your case....if the s.o.b. is desperate enough he'll hang in there grabbing long enough for you to give him the el-kabong treatment ala Keith Richard. just my two cents.
glad, though, that you're OK Beth.
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Kevin White
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1/26/2009 2:10:15 PM
Druggie ... most likely.
It's hard to feel sorry for scum, for scum they are ... but I still feel sorry for him that that's what his sad existence has come to.
Ever see Once?
He winds up getting his money stolen while busking too. I'm unsure, but I think it was his sorry ass drunk of a brother who did it ... or something like that.
K-
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Bruce Boyd
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1/26/2009 5:21:26 PM
I'm glad you're OK Beth - that's the main thing. Glad also that your equipment wasn't damaged AND that Mark got your money back for you - mebbe you should write a song for him. Goes to show there's bad people AND good people in every crowd.
Helluva birthday present though!
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Lars Mars
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1/26/2009 5:29:16 PM
Sorry to hear it Beth, glad it turned out okay.
You need a firearms license to carry mace??? sheesh.
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Jesse Adams
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1/26/2009 5:56:40 PM
Damn that's some serious business Beth! I'm glad you're OK and impressed at how you reacted to the situation. You are HARDCORE my lady! Nice work. :)
I hope this won't stop you from your busking. Something tells me it wont.
Cheers
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Conversation Suicide
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1/26/2009 9:47:01 PM
Just lettin' y'all know, similar shit has come close to happenin' to us at CLUB & House Party gigs out there.
To tell you the truth, I think it's a sign of these HARD Economic times -- so GIG away, but be careful and a little wise out there Beth.
Glad to hear your fine, you kicked some ass, took some names AND got your money back Beth! Great ideas & wisdom on how to gig without gettin' ganked in the future. Relevant to little ole me, who hopes to try that buskin' thing myself. Surely and can't be too much more scary than playing to a hostile bar crowd...
Urrr... Except for the POLICE factor. Hummmmm... I better think this one through.
Anyway -- rock on Beth.
-pHLeGm
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Beth Fridinger
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1/27/2009 12:00:59 AM
Yeah, I was down there tonight on the other side...I only kept about $4 in the case at any one time...kept the CD player out of sight, and anything anybody could grab. If someone looks like they are going for anything in the case, I can kick the suitcase cover shut for one thing...but definitely not leaving the money out is the thing to do.
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Beth Fridinger
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1/27/2009 12:02:02 AM
Yeah, maybe I should write a song.
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Tony Vani and Debbie Hoskin
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1/27/2009 5:03:13 AM
Hi Beth. Sorry to hear about your experience but very glad to hear that everything is ok. Quite a scare if you ask me. You really should carry a personal alarm system. THey only cost about $10.00 and go off pretty loudly when you hit the button. I bought one for my daughter.
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Beth Fridinger
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1/27/2009 10:55:09 AM
Well the amp fell over and made a noise when I jumped him; people saw what was going on and nobody wanted to get involved...except for Mark...who jumped the SOB and got my money back. No more money in the case is all. They will have to come at me with a knife to get it.
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The Man With No Band
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1/27/2009 1:09:56 PM
---- Updated 1/27/2009 3:40:25 PM
Kev. ... "Druggie ... most likely.
It's hard to feel sorry for scum, for scum they are ... "
I kinda take offense to that statement ... I've lived around "druggies" all of my life, hell I've been a "druggie" all of my life ...
Recently you stated that you were an engineer and that qualified you to talk about music ... Well, you are way out of your bounds on this one ... this happens to be my level of expertise ... so I'm gonna spout ...
It is sooooo easy for the public to blame "druggies" for all the bad stuff and all the ailments that society suffers from ... There's even been a massive campaign for years to get them to do so ... Everyone should consider them "scum" ... BULLSHIT
It's also easy for someone who gets caught doing something wrong to say "It wasn't me ... it was the drugs, the drugs made me do it, I'm a good person, it was the drugs" .... BULLSHIT
A thief is a thief ... A wife beater is a wife beater ... A murderer is a murderer ...
I happen to know "druggies" who are college professors, policemen, lawyers, councilmen, government officials, millionaires, teachers, firemen and on and on and on ...
Most of the street people (most of whom society pegs as worthless druggies) are actually pretty good people ... and if they were to sleep on your floor for a night ... you could sleep soundly knowing that they wouldn't get up in the middle of the night and rob you or steal anything from you ... Most are more honest than probably your own family members ...
Our society has deemed it appropriate to fill our prisons with people whose only crime is being a "druggie" ... it's a boon ... for a country that doesn't produce any products anymore ... it's the absolute answer to creating jobs ... the war on drugs is a JOKE ... and the propaganda machine is doing a pretty good job of convincing people like yourself that the "druggies" are a menace to society ... ya know "Scum" like you so eloquently pointed out ...
You haven't got a clue ... I've lived it for almost 40 years ... so listen to someone who actually KNOWS about the subject first hand ... I've never stolen anything from anybody to support my drug habit ... and I used to pump shit in my arm everyday ... now go open your BOTTLE of LEGAL DEATH and drink up ... :)
edit ... oh yeah I might add that the perpetrator in this case may very well have been some snot nosed rich kid ... whose daddy has never done an honest days work in his life ... probably makes shady deals ripping hard working people off ... and then takes that money and invest it with a group of so called good men ... they've got a private Jet ... which flies into Columbia a couple times a week ... where they have their REAL business interest ... growing out in the poppy fields ... then a little detour through Afghanistan on the way home to pick up their regular shipment of Heroin ... that they distribute through some "scum" drug dealer ...
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