We arrived SF on Sat, 6/3. Sunday, 6/4 we walked to find the Visitors Information Center.
Got to vicinity of the VC around 2:45pm. Could not spot the VC, but knew it was there. We must have stood out to the criminal element stationed there.
A black man approached. Said he worked for the VC and could help us? We asked him direction to VC. He said "right over here" and started leading. He insisted on leading us to it (Clue #1). I was located down some stairs in "The Pit". He got in front, and said, "we work on donations here" (Clue #2). I said OK, reached into my pocket, pulled out a fold of bills, found a $1for him.
There were two security guards in the little 40X40 building (Clue #3 - why guards in a place where everything is free?). Shortly, there was an announcement that the VC would close in 5 minutes.
Standing outside to get our bearings, and I noticed out of the corner of my eye a figure was approaching us.
He was a black man, early 20's, round face, thick lips, hair in dreadnots. His right hand extended and his eyes fixed on my left jeans pocket with bills. He got within three feet. I told him "No", and we turned to walk away.
This guy got fighting mad and began to call me every vulgar name while advancing toward us. His eyes were wild, and no doubt he was going to attack us, in my mind. We walked back into the VC, where a guard was about to start locking doors. We said, "we have a problem here". The street criminal was right behind us. The guard stepped in front of him, pushed him out while the guy was still raging at us, and pushed him off to the left of the building. My wife and I left to the right of the building, climbed the stairs out of the pit, and left the area.
If I ever do go back to walk the streets of San Francisco, I can promise you I will be carrying a knife. Only 10 minutes separated us from having that guard there to help us. Otherwise I would have had to fight that guy with only a camera in my hand. Next time, I will have a knife on me.
Be careful in this crime-tolerant town.
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on Jun 17, 2006
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