Kidnap

I just witnessed a kidnapping. There is no joke there, I myself still can´t believe what I just saw. I guess it had gotten to the point where I forgot that I am in a big city, which has it´s dangers just like anywhere else. It´s strange but I had gotten to the point where I was feeling that Chile is probably safer than most parts of the US.

It was such a surreal moment. I had walked through town and was returning to my hostal in Santiago. I was on the main street and then turned of to the sidestreets belonging to my hostal. I had only walked maybe half a block when I saw this man, riding with all fury, and a small child (who looked to be crying) on a bike being persued by (my guess) the older brothers of the kid screaming ¨Paralo, Paralo¨ (stop him). Right as they said that I saw a guy up the street try to stop the bicycling man, but he was comically fat and the kidnapper easily evaded him. I stepped out into the street to get ready for the guy, but I made the mistake of making eye contact, making him aware of my presence and he turned down another street well before he got to me. He just kept going, vanishing down the street like a hyena into the tall savannah grass.

I´ve never felt so worthless and sorry and relieved at the same time. Worthless because I know I would have stopped him if he kept going down my street. I´m a big guy here and would have easily been able to stop him without too much effort. Sorry, because I had to watch as the older brothers ran screaming for help down the street, no chance to catch the man. Their only hope was that someone down the road stopped the man. Relieved because I realized how lucky I was to never have anything similar happen to me. It would be so easy to have happen, I mean there had to be moments when I, or my brother were vulnerable for something similar.

I sincerely hope that the older brother gets the little brother back. I can´t imagine what that feeling would be like, I can only hope the joy of his return overshadows the terror of the young ones capture.