Absence of Fear
I was walking in the streets of Johannesburg a few years
ago, alone, and I was in a hurry to get somewhere. A man
jumped out of an alleyway, with a knife and wanted to rob me.
Now this is quite bizarre: I was in such a rush, and had my
attention so focussed on a project that I was busy with, that I
didn't register anything other than his presence. So, I said very
firmly and courteously to him : "I'm sorry, but I just don't have
time for this now. I'm in a hurry."
And carried on walking. He just stood there, dumbfounded, and in
fact it was only when I turned the corner that I realised that
the man had wanted to ROB me. I laughed! But I realised that my
total absence of fear, and total unwillingness to to give any
seriousness to the situation, undid it.
Kim Baker