Hero

Jean-Pierre thinks they didn't know that we were together.  I'm not sure about that, but I am sure that even if they'd known, they wouldn't have cared.  We were on the metro heading for the airport and our flight home from Athens which was in a couple of hours. As is often the case there was standing-room only, so we were standing, our bags beside us, counting down the stops.

Three men were quite close to us, talking softly to each other.  One of the men started moving closer to me.  The other two followed suit.  I reasoned that they must have mistakenly thought that they would be exiting through the door behind me.  "They're getting too close and I feel very uncomfortable."  I whispered to J.P. "Well, move away from them!"  They moved even closer. I started to panic. At this point, my back was pressed against the rear door...they were breathing down my neck...there was no place to go!  Suddenly, the front doors slid open and they left.

I breathed a shaky sigh of relief and glanced down at my purse. To my horror, I noticed that the zipper was undone...my wallet was gone!  "They took my wallet!" Without hesitating, J.P. gave chase.  He was there one second and the next he was gone! What was I to do?  The number of thoughts that can flood the brain in a matter of seconds is incredible. Should I stay on the train with both of our heavy suitcases and our carry-ons?  I could wait for him at the airport stop.  But something might happen to him.  He might need my help.  Should I try to take everything and get off?  Would I have enough time? No, that would be impossible.  I wouldn't be able to manage that before the doors closed. I could take my bags (they were closer to me) and hope that we could somehow retrieve the other ones. Someone might steal his bags....but, there are so many people in this car and they all heard my shout and probably understood what had happened, so no-one would have the nerve to steal them, would they? Should I stay on...should I get off? Vacillating.  Quick, decide...the door is going to close!

I grabbed my suitcase and my carry-on and ran after J.P. who had disappeared around a corner.  I followed.  When I rounded the corner, the thieves were already on their way up the escalator.  I witnessed J.P. tackle the thief on the lowest stair. The crook was, at that moment rifling through my wallet.  He grunted in surprise and dropped the goods!  J.P. quickly scooped them up.  Seeing that my chivalrous husband had saved the day, I ran back to the train....amazingly only a few seconds had passed and the doors were still open!  Alas, as soon as I reached the train, they closed with a decisive whoosh, in my face.  I pounded on the doors...I can imagine how upset I looked.  "Open the door!  Open the door!"  The passengers could do nothing but look at me helplessly...and after a few seconds, the train glided away with J.P.'s bags inside.

It's probably very obvious that I'm not great in an emergency, but thankfully J.P. is better. "What can we do??!!"  He suggested that we report the 'event'.  Since I speak a bit (a very little bit) of Greek, it was decided that I would go upstairs to make a report and he would stay with my luggage.  It took forever, or so it seemed, to find someone who worked there.  I ran to get a police officer, who appeared with another man. They both asked me where my husband was (I still don't know why that would be their first question).  I explained where he was waiting and the officer left to find him. The other man beckoned me to follow him and led me to a small office.  When we got there the phone was ringing.  He answered it and said, "Yes, yes.  Oh, that's good." He hung up and said, "They have your bag at the next stop."  Hallelujah!  Some kind soul had taken the time to rescue our bags.

I always knew what a great, sweet, wonderful, intelligent guy my husband was, but I didn't know that there lurked within him, a HERO!