Walking up 19th Street tonight on my way home, I was stopped in my tracks by the sound of a woman (who happens to live in my building) screaming, “Give him back his wallet” as she ran out of CVS. She is in her 70’s and was trying to chase this young guy with a garment bag down as he ran down the street, evidently with her husband’s wallet. Often you see this scene, and you watch, as everyone around you watches, and the guy who has stolen the wallet gets away. Tonight, that didn’t happen. Three young guys who were passing by, stopped in their tracks, turned and started to chase the thief. They took him down outside of Devil’s Alley, and sat on top of him while the police were called.

It makes me think of something my grandfather did, when he was pick pocketed on a SEPTA bus in his early 80’s. He realized a couple stops into his ride that someone has stolen his wallet, he went up to the front of the bus and made an announcement.

He said, “Someone on this bus has stolen my wallet. Keep the money, but please, return my wallet. It has pictures of my grandchildren in it that I would be sad to lose.”

I really don’t remember if he got the wallet back or not, but because I remember this story so vividly, I’d like to think that he did.