Stalked, Scammed, and Robbed

Last Tuesday I headed into the city for a morning playdate with two other Au Pairs at Coop City (local grocery and department store chain). Coordinating a two year old to get on a train for a day in the city is difficult enough with all the snacks, toys, diapers, etc. that need to be brought along, not to mention the kid loves trains, hates following directions, and didn't feel like staying seated in his stroller. So while I was juggling a thousand different things and not trying not to lose someone else's kid in the chaos of the city, I was apt to accept all the help I could get...even from complete strangers. So when a nice middle age man asked me if I need help carrying the stroller off the train my response was promptly "Yes please!"

Well I don't know if this guy is completely unaware of the scientific laws of balance or has never helped a damsel in distress unload a stroller from the train, but the dude tipped the entire stroller forward causing my giant survival kit and purse (sitting on the seat of the stroller) to tip over and spill out. Luckily my cat-like reflexes stopped the bulk of the avalanche of, well, frankly everything, from spilling onto the train track below, but alas, a small pack of tissue took the dive onto the lanes of destruction below. It was a small casualty for to magnitude of what could have happened...or so I thought.

The man apologized and I could tell he wanted to escape the situation the moment he saw my slightly annoyed expression. I said it was ok, and decided to just get on with my day. We headed off in quite a hurry to catch our tram to Coop City, and just as I was encouraging the toddler to make a dash for the tram that was about to leave us behind, I heard someone call out my name (which in a foreign country is a foreign occurance). I whipped around to see a guy from my old German class. At that point, I could hear the tram beeping to indicate its departure and I made a quick decision to cut my losses and just make smalltalk for the next 4 minutes until my next tram arrived. When it finally did, the guy from my German class (I couldn't remember his name) offered to help me on the tram. Again, "Yes please!" One stop later I was finally at my destination and I got another offer to help me get off the tram. Fantastic! ...until I realize that the dude was following me into Coop City to crash my playdate...awkward.

I finally met up with the other Au Pairs, let the kid loose in the children's play section of the restaurant, and introduced Havier (as I learned was his name) to my friends. Awkwardly, I invited him to sit down and join us still puzzled as to why he was even there. I thought maybe if I ignored him he would say he had to go, but instead he stayed. And stayed. And never went away. Finally, he said quietly to me so the others couldn't hear that he had been looking everywhere for me because he had something he wanted to tell me. This is the point when "awkward" turned into "downright uncomfortable." Regretfully, I took the bate and asked what he wanted to tell me. With tears in his eyes, the dude says "I love you." Buuuuuuuuhhhhhhh.....'scuse me?

I sat across the room from this guy twice a week for 8 weeks in a class in which we only spoke German. The class ended in November. It was April 29. I don't know if people see me as a walking dual passport and a secure future, but there is nothing romantic about a complete stranger confessing his undying love in a department store food court. And if that isn't disturbing enough, he confessed that he had waited for me outside of the old classroom building, looked all over Zurich for me, and was about to go visit the teacher to ask her if she knew where he could find me. Oh, did I mention that he said he couldn't eat or sleep without me? So after some uncomfortable rejections, the other Au Pairs finally caught onto what was happening and decided to help bail me out by asking him to leave. Eventually he left, but not before he begged me to tell him where he could find me. Yeah, nevergonnahappen.

Fast forward 30 minutes of three creeped out Au Pairs discussing all the defenses against Senor Stalker and it was eventually time for lunch. The other Au Pairs had to go their separate ways, so into the stroller went the kid and onto the streets of Zurich went I to find lunch. Upon arriving at the Bratwurst place I realize that the second to worst thing in the world had happened. My wallet was missing. (The first worst thing would have been my cell phone in case you were wondering). I searched through the multitude of bags I had brought and nothing. Without panicing (ok maybe a little panicing), I convinced myself I had accidentally left it at home and quietly crossed my fingers that my poor Geldtasche hadn't met the same fate as my tissues.

With no money clearly there would be no lunch, so off to the bank I was going to do. Just as I was about to excuse myself from the lunch line, at the worst possible time, Senor Stalker showed up again from out of nowhere. I don't know if he secretly followed me or I just happen to stumble on where he went after he left, but I stared him straight in the eyes and said firmly and loudly (so other people in line would hear) "You need to leave me alone!" Awkwardly, he looked side to side and wandered away. Luckily I haven't seen him since.

So now that I have accepted the fate of the lost wallet that I never found at home, I have slowly taken steps to replace my credit cards, IDs, etc. that was in the wallet. Luckily there wasn't any cash inside and the only irreplacable thing I lost was a stick of Spearmint Chapstick I stole from a friend that you can only buy in the USA. Unfortunately, everything else costs money to replace. In addition, to replace my Swiss ID and Swiss drivers license I had to fill out a police report. After filling out the paperwork to the best of my ability (in German) I explained the story to the police officer. What do I come to find out? That the stroller tipping was a scam to get my wallet to fall out. Fantastic. I look like a young single mother and I get scammed and robbed at the train station. Seriously, who does that?!

The moral of the story: I am overly trusting of complete strangers and should learn to keep my guard up and my purse zipped. Lesson learned.