(type: amazing ... a second person account)

Ed: I'm having trouble getting SB rolling (more on this later), so I'm going ahead with a story that would be better told by the main character if he would ever get around to writing it out for me. It's a story for everyone who wishes they could get their hands on the asshole who stole from them...

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Sometime after college, Mike made the obligatory trip to Europe. He was filling out a form at a post office one day in Spain when he set his wallet down on the table beside him. A couple of minutes later, a young girl rushed into the room and started yelling at him in Spanish (which he doesn't speak). The only phrase that she seemed to be able to deliver in English, and the only one he really needed, was, "Your book! Your book!" His wallet was gone.

Mike rushed out the door, took a quick glance around and saw nothing, so he took off running down the main street in front of him. He didn't get far before noticing a bus pulling to a stop further down the block, so he made a beeline toward it. Once on the bus, he scanned its occupants until his eyes fell on one kid who all but screamed "guilty" -- sweating, panting and not acknowledging the crazy American who had jumped onto the bus and stared everyone down. Mike walked over and faced him. "Give me my wallet," he said. The boy did nothing.

Mike grabbed his arm and pulled him off the bus. They scuffled around a bit before Mike reached into the kid's pocket and pulled a wallet out. He let go of the boy, who bolted away, then looked down at his hand. He had taken the kid's wallet instead. Down on the ground was the second wallet, Mike's. Justice is sweet.