In article <d1ae5$46d1b770$d8fea483$11812@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
"Marc Wigle" <mwigle@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
> "Prisoner at War" <prisoner_at_war@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:1187625124.290489.289990@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>> Hey, Y'All:
>
> You're from Brooklyn... right?
It sounded a little put-on, South Carolina/Andy Griffith/Goober
to me.
>> I don't know why, but I'd wanted to pay my restaurant bill right away,
>> lest it looks like I'm not going to do it (even though, duh, like I
>> said, it's an old favorite and they know me there), so I didn't give
>> chase. Later on, I'd caught up with the chink-chong-man-boy ('cause
>> he's so short and has a boyish face under the U.S. Army field cap!)
>> and he just goes "solly, boss, okay," smiling that embarrassed, but
>> slightly greasy-feeling Chinese smile (I'm Chinese so I know about
>> these things), the kind that says, haha, you got me, nice game....
>>
>
> You're Chinese? Really? You just sound like a dork.
I'm a little bit partly Chinese myself. Not enough to
show very much, but the DNA is there. Culturally I'm
just a Vancouver East Ender.
>> So what would you do if you caught a bike thief?
This actually is an interesting question, but I'd
expand it to: "What would be an appropriate punishment &
rehab for a bike thief?"
Bearing in mind, some thieves steal the bike in order
to having something to ride, some to sell the whole
bike for crack money, and some for the metal (to sell
for crack money.) So in some cases the question becomes:
"What do you do with a desperate crackhead?" And in
some cases the question becomes: "Whaddaya do about a
poor bugger who needs a bike?"
Being a victim of bike theft is horrible, and can leave
one with all sorts of bitter feelings and revenge fantasies
about hanging bike thieves by their thumbs from telephone poles,
with "Bike Theef" signs hung around their necks. But that's
way too overboard.
I think a lot of bike thieves could benefit from being
sent to work camp or Outward Bound for a while, out in
the wilderness where there are no bikes to steal, and
no crack. Maybe a little mj or some really good,
unadulterated hash, just to tide them over. Or put
them to work building a boat.
I opine a lot of criminal behaviour stems from crooks
never having had the op****tunity to enjoy the pleasurable
aspects of creativity, so they have an ignorance of appreciation
for creativity. Doing creative & constructive work where
tangible results of which one can be proud are obtained, is a
great educator. Kinda like Bridge on the River Kwai.
To a bike thief, a bike is a mere chattle. To the
bike owner, however, the bike is so much more.
Bike thieves need to learn the true extents & natures
of their offenses. Even if has to be pounded into 'em
through their thick skulls. In a humanity-loving manner,
of course.
In the long run, I guess as long as there are bikes,
there'll be people to steal 'em. Life goes on. Oh, well.
cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
|
