[Dixielandjazz] viva la difference

[Bruce Stangeland]

Pat,

My wife and I also had an unsettling theft situation in Madrid about 10 
years ago.
Our only loss was a credit card. It took an hour on the phone to cancel 
the card but when we got home, we saw two unauthorized charges to that 
card of $99 each. Our bank eventually reversed the charges.

When we got back to our hotel, and asked the desk clerk if I should 
report it to the police, he said they get about 100 reports a night in 
Madrid so they probably won't do anything.

Cheers,
Bruce Stangeland
Berkeley banjoist

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2012 03:20:40 -0700
From: "Pat Ladd"<pj.ladd at btinternet.com>
To:<jim at kashprod.com>
Cc: dixieland jazz<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] viva la difference ( re
	MildredBailey-Spokesman	Review)
Message-ID:<4C75C6E4D0544E49823C4E0A4F247466 at patb7aee10db77>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Hi Jim,
I did indeed visit Madrid a while ago and spent a very pleasant evening
listening to the band. In fact we had a drink with you and some of the band
beforehand.
Had I been offered a `sit in` on the drums I would have declined. I know my
place, and it certainly was not in the same frame as your drummer who was
fantastic.

I remember the occasion well as both Wendy and Nancy an American woman who
was with us had their handbags snatched on the way back to the hotel.
We asked for it. Stood under the street lamps consulting a  street map and
generally acting like stupid tourists. My mate and I were walking  ahead of
the ladies who were talking and not paying attention. There was a sudden
rush of feet and there was Nancy screaming, her handbag gone, and Wendy
swinging some youngster round hanging on to the strap of her handbag while
she tried to kick him in the goolies.
I ran back and chased the two robbers. My Yank mate shouting Let him go.
He`ll have a knife etc but I was so bloody angry. How DARE they. I chased
the pair all up the street. No one else about of course. I ran faster than I
had moved since I left school and got up to the bag snatchers shoulder. He
glanced back , very surprised to see me there and went into overdrive and
left me standing. He did have about a 45 years start on me. I have no idea
what I would have done in the unlikely event of my catching the bastard.
Wendy had no cards and just a little money in her bag but Nancy had ALL
their cards and All their money in her bag because she didn`t trust the
hotel safe.
I remember it took about 4 hours to get through with the police, statements,
translations, stopping credit cards etc and there had been several big
ticket white goods purchases made amounting to several thousands dollars
before they could get everything tied up.

All things considered, a great evening.

Cheers

Pat.