Monday, September 20, 2010

Elder McGavin's first fight!



After coming back from service at Vend Petrov's on Wednesday, we caught the number 5 bus.  Elder Broby and I were in our regular clothes cause we had been chopping wood.  Elder Lane and Elmer actually helped as well but they were in the proselyting clothes.  They had a lesson directly after.  We all got on the number 5 bus.  We pulled up to the next stop and four kids got on the bus and made their way to the back, where we were sitting.  They all looked like they were about 20 years old.  They started speaking to us in Russian and then when we told them we speak Estonian they started speaking in Estonian to us.  They were clearly Russians though.  The one kid who I am going to call Jerry for the purposes of the story, was talking to Elder Elmer, and saying a few things in broken English.  He was pretty short, had short brown hair and had a Brazilian soccer jersey on.  The other kid or Rasmos for story purposes, was about 6 feet tall, blonde hair, and he was smoking on the bus.  Believe it or not, that is even banned in Estonia.  He was a little bit tipsy and when we turned the corner he fell back against the door, and the door luckily didnt open, it just kind of opened out a little bit but springed back in.  The other 2 kids were just kind of over by themselves.  It was obvious they were all somewhat intoxicated with either alcohol or drugs or something.  The two kids off by themselves, or the followers of the crowd, may not have been as intoxicated.  Rasmos and Jerry were talking to us. 


 They knew we were Americans and that we were missionaries.  Even though we were dressed normally they knew we were with the other Elders.  The other Elders got off at the next stop to go to their lesson and we stayed on the bus.  Rasmos looked at my watch and said, "Oooh, look how blue your watch is!  Where did you get such a blue watch?"  I am pretty sure the face of my watch was tripping him out with whatever chemicals he was on.  He looked at my watch and said, "Let me try it on..."  I told him no, that he cant try it on, he can only look.  He insisted again that I let him try it on.  I told him no.  He demanded and I refused.  He started to grab at it and try and pull it off as he was saying, "Come on just let me try it on!"  He was getting extremely forceful and demanding and wasnt taking no for an answer.  His attitude was changing a little bit, and I didnt want there to be a problem so I finally told myself he could just try it on, and I hoped that this would avoid any problems.  He took it off my wrist and put it on his.  It didnt even fit him, and it barely snapped shut. We started to get closer to center, where we needed to get off and I told him, "Okay give me my watch back now."  He rolled down his sleeve and said, "What watch?"  I thought to myself, "He wouldnt dare, he doesnt realize who he is messing with."  It was immediately clear to me what was going on.  I told him to just give me the watch back and there wont be a problem.  He told me no again.  I told him I would call the cops if he doesnt give me the watch.  I also told him I wasnt going to leave without my watch.  


At this point Jerry got up and came over and grabbed me by the collar.  He looked me in the eyes and said "It WAS your watch, and you arent calling anyone!"  I somewhat chuckled inside that this little Jerry thought he could intimidate me.  They were just a bunch of punks.  Finally I went over to Rasmos, and grabbed him by the wrist.  I started to try and shimmy my watch off of his wrist.  He raised his fist and told me to get off of him.  He started backing away as I still had his wrist.  He kicked me in the middle of the bus and was getting frustrated that I wasnt going to just let him get off scotch free with my watch.  The interesting thing about the whole thing was that all this was happening and all of the many people on the bus were just watching.  Finally after I just kept telling Rasmos to give me the watch or I will call the cops, A lady said, "I will call the cops dont worry about it!"  When Rasmos saw that she was calling I think he got scared and it was right as we were pulling into center.  He backed off the bus, when the doors opened, and I still had his wrist.  We were on the ground now, and before I knew it Rasmos clocked me on the side of the head with his fist.  I kind of ducked to avoid another punch and he came from underneath and blasted me in the forehead/top of my head, with his elbow/forearm.  


I couldnt believe it.  The reality set in.  I was at the main bus station in Tartu, Estonia, in a fight.  I looked over out of the corner of my eye, and saw Jerry and Elder Broby in a fighting position.  Broby had his fists up by his face and Jerry was trying to swing at him.  We were in a brawl in the middle of Estonia with some Russians, over MY watch.  My first fight in my life, when I was a missionary.  My adrenaline got pumping but there wasnt much I could do.  Rasmos was just trying to run away and all I could do was hold on tight to his wrist and slowly wiggle my watch off.  In the mean time he clocked me a few more times to the head.  Somehow he distanced himself from me and kicked me on the side of the head as well.  At one point I saw Jerry coming after me for the double team and luckily Elder Broby shed him off, and took care of him the whole time.  Elder Broby was about twice his size.  Finally I bear hugged Rasmos from behind, held him tight and wiggled my watch off.  Once I got the watch, They all ran off, knowing the police would soon arrive.  I couldnt believe that Elder Broby and I were in a brawl in Estonia.  It was literally a brawl at the bus station with plenty of people watching. 

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