well haven't we been having fun

I've been sick the past two days. It began monday night in the theater, where our play rehearsal was once again going past 1 am. For those of you not in on this, I'm doing the lights for the YU dramatics society play "of mice and men", which starts this saturday night, and goes for another six days afterwards. So this week is called tech week, but most people call it "hell week" since it begins to dominate your life much more during the last week. (it was already pretty much dominating my life, going from 9-1 every night, so I wasn't really concerned). I spend most of my time there hanging lights, circuiting lights, and getting them to work on the board in the lights and sound booth behind the audience. It's tough work, and it's long, but I'm not so quick to say I haven't been enjoying it. It's grueling, absolutely, but I think I may prefer being busy working on a project, even if it is taking up virtually all of my free time.
But anyways, that night I started feeling kind of sick. I was sitting in the booth with my stage manager, and I told him during the rehearsal,
ME: "I think I'm going to be sick tomorrow."
SM: "Well that would suck, wouldn't it?"
ME: "Yes, it would."
It didn't go too much farther than that. Anyways, I was right, and the next morning I felt pretty awful. At my sister's behest, I went to the student health center to get checked out. There, I was reacquainted with Vladamir, the assistant head physician at YU (i think) whom I'd met at orientation. He was the one who told me if I didn't have my immunization forms on orientation day, he would send me chome. Anyways, he checked me out briefly. Most of the out- checking was him writing stuff down, so I don't know how thorough he really was. I know he listened to me breath, and asked me how I felt. He also took my temperature, which came up normal.
Long story short, he decided I had the flu (most likely since I hadn't had the vaccination) and told me to stay in bed for the next four days. Missing four days of college during tech week is not as much fun as it may sound like. It meant I would either be completely unprepared for the show next week, or they'd have to find someone to replace me, and that I'd be missing classes which I cannot easily make up, if I can make them up at all.
So anyways, that's where I've been the last two days. Sitting here, watching stuff on my laptop (most notably "merlin" "star trek (new movie)" and "cops" on youtube) Today I decided to go over to perel's apartment, since I guess I wanted to reconnect with my tv, currently in her custody. This word best describes the tv's current state. Hopefully after the whole play thing is over, I'll be able to "get it back."
So I went over there, bringing her dinner through the rain, which was not much more than a drizzle at the time. I brought my coat, just in case, in addition to her umbrella which I was returning. In case it was raining when I left, I wanted to have my coat with me.
For those of you just joining, my sister lives in a notably unsafe neighborhood. I could've sworn I watched a car get stolen while I stood outside watching the moving van the day she was moving in. But I've never had any issues walking to her apartment before, and I go around twice a week. The first few times I was really on my toes, but a sense of security has seeped in, and I no longer look behind me every ten seconds. This is probably a mistake, but I usually see alot of cops on my way back. This should probably frighten me, but it usually just makes me feel safer. It's like "Oh look, cops! No one would dare mug me at this corner!"

I hung out at her apartment for a few hours. I tried to play on my xbox- didn't really find myself in the mood. I can practically play soul calibur with my eyes closed- it seems to have lost its appeal. Anyways, I basically just watched Roswell with her and read off her cooking directions for zucchini kugel. Also helped her put a leaf in her table, and took out her garbage on my way out. Sure, why not?
The garbage thing frustrated me. By the time I decided to leave, I was so wiped out, it was going to be an effort just to get back, and I could hear through the window that it was still raining. And I'm sick. I took some of her ibuprofen (quite a bit of it, actually), but it hasn't seemed to kick in. The last thing I want to do right now is take her garbage down to the basement. It's hard for me to refuse these kinds of things though, and I always figure that it's never worth the argument, so I just do it. Fine, no problem.
On my way out, I noticed that it was now pouring outside. Great. As I turn onto the sidewalk, I also notice it's awfully windy, blowing my hood back and blowing rain onto my pants. I adjust my hood,, but with the wind it's hard for me to see in front of me. I vaguely think about what might happen if someone tries to mug me. I've got no cash in my wallet- just credit cards and a drivers license. And like, a barnes and noble gift card worth around $8, which I'm sure the thief would put to much better use than I'll ever end up doing. But I don't really get nervous. When you want something to be true, it's usually easy to convince yourself that it is. I thought things like "Oh, it's raining. Who would want to stand out here in the rain?"
I passed several people whom in hindsight looked pretty shady, but as soon as I passed them, and they'd done nothing, I thought nothing of it. Nevertheless, I tried to keep my guard up, and made an effort to look ahead.
About a block away from my sister's building, I saw someone walking my way who looked awfully sketchy. I crossed the street.
"That'll fool 'em" I thought to myself.
There were two people on the corner in front of a building- a man talking to a woman. I thought nothing of this either- I guess I usually figure if there's a woman around, no one's going to do any mugging. Like, it's not done or something. I dunno. I overheard one part of the conversation as I passed:
"Give it to me."
It was said somewhat calmly, and it didn't really concern me until the guy lunged toward the woman and grabbed her, most likely going for the purse hanging from her right shoulder. Well, in hindsight, anyway. I ran off instantly, desperately not wanting to become involved. As I approached the next corner, I think I heard a bang, and the man was definitely yelling in pain, although I wouldn't have thought that the lady had a gun.
I ran for the next block. A lot of things went through my mind from the moment the guy had attacked her until I arrived at my dorm building, among them:
That I had just come as close as I'd ever been to a mugging, and hopefully as close as I'll ever be. The two almost smashed into me in the struggle.
That I didn't call the police. The thought vaguely occurred to me as I ran away. Yes I had a cell phone, but what would I tell them? I couldn't picture myself in that kind of situation. I kind of got the feeling the officer would say something like "welcome to new york buddy" and hang up. Besides, I was sick, and I really just wanted to get home. I seriously was not interested in being interrogated by cops, or whatever was going to happen. It was really the same reason why I didn't call the police when that car might have gotten stolen- I didn't want to get involved. It's likely I never will.
My sense of security around this neighborhood has been completely shattered, although I guess it should never have been there to begin with.
But what occurred to me as I entered my dorm building is that if that really was a mugging, then had I not taken out my sister's garbage, that could've easily been me, with some other frightened stranger running past me. That thought does not change how I feel about not calling the police- but it does seriously scare me.
Now I'm off to sleep. And if I'm not better tomorrow- heck, even if I am better tomorrow, I'm pretty much screwed.