A rookie tried to mug me today. I was at work late tonight for inventory, and I ended up taking my break around nine or ten PM. I left the mall where I work to walk a block or so to a nearby Baja Fresh (a slightly upscale Taco Bell), and, after placing my order, I went to the bathroom to take a piss and wash up. The bathroom at Baja is in the very back of the place, and divided from the rest of the restaurant. When I opened the door to walk out, a young black guy wearing a big hooded jacket forced me into a corner and told me in a low voice, "You're going to take out your wallet and give me everything inside of it, or there's going to be an issue." He said it so low and so gruffy that I had to ask him to repeat himself. After confirming that he did intend to rob me, I told him flatly to his face that there was absolutely no fucking way that I'd simply hand over the money that I worked my ass off for. My mere resistance and failure to comply seemed to startle him, and he asked me in somewhat of a nervous voice if he was going to need to pull something out of his jacket (presumably a blade or gun). I maintained that I worked hard for my loot, and suggested that he get a job of his own. While saying this, I stepped diagonally to the side so as to get out of the corner. This further resistance seemed to further decrease his resolution, and he then tried to come up with several excuses (including how he had just gotten fired, and how he hadn't eaten in some time). I asked him flatly if he intended on shanking me over a few bucks, and the noob then admitted that he didn't even have a weapon on him. However, he still demanded money. I told him (facetiously, of course) that if he wanted a job, he could follow me back to work and talk to my manager. I also told him that if he was hungry, he could have a bite of the black beans that came with my meal. This seemed to piss him off, and he became ever-so-slightly more angry and aggressive. At this point I figured he was too much of a pussy and/or rookie to actually get in a physical scuffle with me, so I turned my back to him and walked back to the main restaurant. He followed right beside me like a shadow, all the while making low threats combined with weak excuses for wanting to take my money. I eventually made my way to the counter, and, apparently sensing that I wasn't interested in any more of his bullshit, he made a final offer of accepting a dollar or two of mine in order to take the bus home. I told him I'd give that all of the thought it deserved, which laughably seemed to give him a bit of hope. He left the store and began to pace back and forth outside, which I assumed to be his way of feigning an a threat to jump me when I exited the store. After getting my food, I left the restaurant with my chow and started to walk back to work. He chased right after me, and began resuming his weak threats/excuses. After finally hearing enough, I removed the bus transfer ticket that I had gotten on the way to work (when you pay for bus fare, you get a ticket that's good for 3-4 hours for free further bus rides), and gave it to him (since I already had a ride home from work and wouldn't have needed it) with a few words of my own. I told him to his face what I thought of him and people like him. I told him that he was a coward in more ways than one. I told him that he was a piece of shit. He accepted these words with a few nods, and took the transfer and headed to the bus stop. He then turned around and offered me his hand to shake, as if we had merely completed a business-like transaction. Needless to say, I was completely speechless at this guy's audacity, so I just shook my head in disbelief and headed back to work to eat my dinner.
Unfortunately, Maryland doesn't offer a concealed carry license unless you're an ultra high-risk person. I guess I'm either going to need to land my internship, or start carrying knife when I go to work. Weak.
