I have 2 stories actually, although like any long term user I have been robbed a few times, both actual robbed as well as "beat" by being sold "bunk" (i.e. "beat bags" i.e. counterfeit materiel). It is a valuable learning experience in any junkie's life I think.
When I first came to live in the US as an adult, to work, I was here maybe 8 months and had just moved to NYC. This being the early 90s, there was a section of the city where PCP (aka "Angel Dust") was sold in 5 to 8 US Dollar bags (half gram of mint leaf laced with liquid PCP, crystal had came and gone and was not to be found anywhere in the NE that I knew about). I liked it just so, only a couple of puffs with some cannabis and WHOOM.
It was Western New Year's Eve, and I was actually at that point living in a town called Lakewood, NJ, about 90 minutes south of NYC. On that holiday all Mass Transit is free so as to discourage drunk driving and everybody and their brother takes Mass Transit into the city. I only had I think 90 US on me, and a girl I was seeing wanted to go into the city, to Times Square to see the Ball Drop (a NYC Tradition at 12 Midnite on New Year).
About 6 PM, very dark already, we head into the city, I do not drink alcohol at all and because I wanted to enjoy the "party," I made sure we headed uptown to that area I mentioned, in Harlem. We go, get out of the subway, and I buy a "bundle" (10 bags) of PCP and was excited and could not wait to go to Central Park and get ready for Times Square. It began snowing with a brutal wind whipping flakes in my eyes and as we turned around from the Sale Corner and began to walk up the steep hill (W145 for those that know, it is no longer a drug area so calm down Mods about "Locations")...We got a few meters when I felt a knife in my side and this guy whose face I will never forget had a steak knife pushed hard into my side but not even cutting my jacket.
"Give it up man! NOW!" I am well trained BUT he had the jump on me and my then girlfriend was by my side so, I did the right thing and gave up the goods.
So, no money, a long cold night ahead, and damn I was depressed beyond words!!! I happy in a way, that the girl did not get hurt, and also happy that she had been with me because knowing me I would have not given it up and probably would have had a Ginsu poking out of myhip.
We saw the ball in Times Square, not that I cared at that point and decided to take the train back to Jersey (although it does not go to Lakewood but that is another story). What makes it memorable for me though was that on the ride home, in the train, this group of kids sat near us and began passing around one of those massive glass crack pipes they used to sell, the huge bowled ones. So, I ended up smoking someone elses' freebase cocaine for my New Year in the States. Back then people would get high in the open on trains, etc. Cannot imagine it happening now in NYC.
Second incident...I was sitting in a car, in NJ again (I have usually lived in NYC when in the US and seeing as how I have such bad luck in NJ, I should have done so from the begining). I used to work for a relative of mine, before I got a good job, and well, my uncle was a heroin wholesaler. I had just dropped the package when this guy I had never seen stuck a long barrel in my face. Just walked right up to me, whipped it out, and poked me in the face with the pistol in board daylight.
So there I am, staring into the barrel of a Ruger 44, which for those that do not know is a massively big revolver.
I do not remember his words, but I do remember after giving up a little stash I had of "nickles" of cocaine (at the time 5 dollar stamped glassines of cocaine were a standard retail unit), maybe 40 US of cocaine, he began getting real nervous because while I HAD just dropped off a nice piece of weight, I never picked up cash so he was expecting a large cash haul or maybe just the "package" I had just handed off. I was sure he was going to blow my face off.
Here I was, wounded 2 times in Lebanon and I thought I was going to die in a NJ parking lot from some crackhead with an itchy finger!!! I was angry more than anything.
He smirked after a few seconds and non-chalantly walked away. This was in prehistoric days when we used to use only payphones with dimes and quarters! Calling between states was a huge hassle so I figured I would just drive it off on my way to see my uncle later because I had to let him know soemone was watching us... but to top it all off I got pulled over by a local cop as I left the spot and funny as fate is, he tossed my car. Had I not been robbed, I would have possibly caught a 5 year prison sentence over that 40 dollars worth of coke!
Here is the thing though...Not more than a year later I did get pinched, as I talked about in another thread in this Forum, asking how prison life is (haha). So I am up in state prison and on a Grounds Crew for my prison job. A new guy joins the crew and he is this huge, super ugly black guy who I have never seen in my life but this fool knows me by name!
My middle name is "Ra'anan" but in English alot of people will call me "Rani" or "Jonny" as it gets mangled by English speakers.
This guy kept saying, "Jonny you don't know me man?" I humoured him for a good minute and then told him to stop "riding my coc%." He still had a smile and then it clicked! I remembered the smirk!!! It was that 44 Ruger! Then, he tried to ride me, telling the whole Grounds Crew that he stuck me up with a BB Gun!!!
Hahahahahahahaha. See, a 44 Ruger is an old fashioned revolver and if you look at the barrel you will see in the chamber, rounds, real shiny against the blue-black finish. However, when you have a long barrel in your mouth you are DEFINITELY not thinking about the chamber but about your destiny, you know?
So I played it off telling him I was never robbed in my life but he and I both knew what was up. I was 4 months from my Max Date, meaning I was going home in like 108 days. I felt like I wanted to address past wrongs, but I did not lose face over the issue since I always drew respect, and this guy was a crack head with a goofy grin that everybody just naturally hated. Had I hurt him it would have been a new street charge and several more years wasted in a Yank prison. Willy Johnson was his name. Wonder if he is even alive now.
Funny how small the world is, right?
Anyway, 2 of many stories...