Day 34 - A Stolen Bike (July 5th, 2024)

    Video: https://youtu.be/GOuy5t7AQpg?si=4ZTFpWphYyX4tuXh

That morning, we slept in, and when we did wake up, we weren't in a hurry to leave. Henry and my dad were going to the phone store to get Henry a new phone. I was going to stay and write some blogs until I got a text from them saying when and where to meet up for lunch.

 So, when I got the text, I decided not to bring the computer and if I needed to work further on blogging.  So, I meet up with the rest at the phone store, and Henry still hasn't gotten his phone!  So, we took turns eating lunch outside the phone store, and once Henry was getting his phone set up with an employee, our dad and I left.  I went to a bubble tea store on the same side of town and got ice-cold water and bubble tea.  While there,  I wrote up another blog and eventually left.

    I searched for a restroom and tried a couple of places before going to a gas station.  When I come back out, my bike is gone! I looked further around the corner, and in that second, I knew what had happened.  Though many people were filling up on gas and walking in and out, they didn't see my bike get stolen.  So, I immediately rush back inside and tell an employee who immediately jumps into action and tells his manager about it.  While the manager is pulling up the footage, I stand there awkwardly before going to look outside.  While I was out there, I walked up to a parked car with a driver in there.  He had been the closest to my bike and, if anything, would probably know about it the best.  So, I asked him, and he said no.  He then went on to lecture me, saying that I should've known that I needed to call the police, and the person who took it deserved to go to jail.

    The manager comes out and says he's got footage of who it was. It was a short man with an unshaven beard who went off towards a nearby motel. So, I called my dad and explained the situation, and my dad said to call the police. So I do, and the police tell me to file an online police report.  Once submitting the report, the website said it might take up to three days before they could get to it!

A middle-aged Asian man comes by in broken English and asks if I need a ride.  I firmly refused twice when he asked me.  I wasn't about to get in anyone's car!

So, while I was waiting out on the grass for my dad to come, I tried not to cry and kept it together, but some sniffling and snuffling (😭) managed to make its way out. My Grandpa Creamer texted me, saying, "Try not to be discouraged. God has a plan." And so I'm like, okay, God's got a reason; He knows what He's doing. I can have faith.

When my dad arrives, we walk into the gas station. My dad didn't want his bike stolen, either, so he walked his bike into the station. Inside is a customer, and when he sees me, he says, "Hey, I heard what happened. I'm really sorry about it. I bought you a soda if you want it. Stay strong!"

The guy gave me a fist bump and left.  And I got a free Coke!

My dad asked to see the footage, and the manager refused.  My dad then asks, "What can you tell me about him?

"He's about so tall, gray, with an unshaved beard. He went to Motel 6, and his name was Anthony.  He's regularly seen around here."

My dad thanked him, and we left to find Anthony, who was a transient. We asked a couple of guys within the circle if they knew where Anthony was. Of course, they knew what was going on and weren't going to sell him out, so they said, "No, sir." and cast their eyes downward.

My dad changed his tactic, and when we walked up to the guy, my dad said, "Hey, do you know where Anthony is? I owe him some money." The guy we asked was wearing a girl's clothes, makeup, and a purse, and once he gave us the directions to where Anthony lived, we didn't linger.

    When we got to Motel 6, where Anthony lived, we had no idea what room he was in.  Drug evidence was everywhere, and strung and zonked out people were just slowly milling around the parking lot.  The kinda sober ones kept looking at us because they knew who we were and what we were after.  So, we're praying hard along with my mom and and her parents that we make it out unharmed and we can find my bike.  My dad and I looked like super sore thumbs in the area.  Everything about us stood out, including our clothes, how we walked, and my dad's expensive bike.  Basically, we stood out as Elon Musk in the area.

    So, my dad went around on his bike calling out to people, using the money static, while I stayed out in the front, making sure he didn't sneak out.  Finally, one guy points to another guy, saying, "Hey, that guy knows where Anthony lives.  Follow him"

    My dad then said, "Look, I'll give you all the cash in my wallet if you can get me my daughter's bike back." The guy had asked for the cash ( which was only about $40) in advance, but my dad said no.

The guy then says, "Wait right here."  The guy goes around the corner and, a minute later, comes back with my bike. My dad handed him the cash, and we rushed out. We didn't want to linger there at all. In that place, you were constantly looking over your shoulder, making sure no one was sneaking up on you.

We went back to the gas station and thanked the manager and employee a bunch of times.  We

Henry joined us, and we went to Target for some groceries and a new rain jacket. Anthony had stolen my rain jacket (that didn't keep me dry), sunglasses, and earbuds. But we got my $2,000 plus bike back, and that is what matters.

    We ate at the park, still recovering from the stress and intensity of it. One day, we will laugh at it, but not now.

We left the park and headed back. That night, we watched a much-needed movie to get the incident out of our minds, and even the next day, we were still feeling a little traumatized.