TGKW posted a photo:
When I was 19, I walked one winter evening through an area of Glasgow called Maryhill for the first time. I knew it only by its bad reputation: it was referred to as 'Scary Maryhill' by some students who lived there. When I suddenly felt a forceful arm around my neck, I thought 'fuck, I'm being jumped' only to turn round and see a friend who thought it would be funny to give me a fright.
So at 7pm yesterday, when I was walking towards my home in Garnethill on a glorious summer evening and felt a tug on my camera strap, I thought 'who's this friend who thinks it funny to pretend to steal my camera?' only to turn round and see a rough-looking man I didn't know trying to wrench my camera off me. My first reaction was fear and I tried to pull away. Realising this was going to get me nowhere, I remember saying out loud "fuck this" and dropped the bag and phone I had been holding - one in each hand - to the ground. I then managed to place my leg behind his, went with his pull on the camera which was still strapped on my shoulder and let him fall over my leg. Because we were on the fairly steep gradient of Garnethill Street, he fell quite hard to the ground. Rather than wait for his hold on the camera, still attached to my shoulder, to pull me down with him, I jumped on top of him. I punched him in the stomach repeatedly until he stopped struggling and I was able to stand up. He too stood up and ran off along Renfew Street. I gathered my things off the ground and sat down on the pavement for a minute. Although I was a stone's throw from one of Glasgow's busiest streets, nobody would have been able to see what had happened: everything was quiet. A minute later, a few people walked past from Hill Street.
I went home, poured myself a stiff drink and lit a cigarette. I suppose there is no way it could have went better for me - I got away unhurt and held onto all my possessions - but I think it shook me, psychologically. I didn't sleep well last night and, when I did, I had nightmares. Maybe it is time I took the advice of my mother (pictured) and stopped wearing the camera on one shoulder everywhere I go.
Glasgow, 2010.
