Fleeced - Part 2

Three weeks ago, I wrote about how I was fleeced of £25 by a Pakistani.

Today I bumped into the swindler outside Waterloo Station. We came face to face with each other. I pushed my bicycle in front and stopped him. He didn't try to escape.

I raised my voice in public and said to him, "You have the bloody gumption to show up in Waterloo! This is my area! How dare you lie to me and cheat my money!"

I certainly drew lots of attention from the public. Knowing that Waterloo Station is constantly patrolled by police, I threatened to get him arrested in no time.

He tried to calm me down. He said he was trying to contact me but lost my number because he returned the mobile phone to the company he was working with. He was probably trying to pull a fast one but I knew he was BS-ing. I knew he didn't resign recently. I knew he wasn't with the company he said he was. I knew he didn't keep my number in his phone because I wrote it in a piece of paper for him.

But as I've already gotten over the loss, I decided to give him a long lecture instead. People walking pass gawked at us. I told him that he was a disgrace to the religion he used to cheat me.

"£25 is not a big sum to me. Keep the bloody money if you want. But I want you to know that you are a disgrace to your religion. Shame on you. You used Islam to cheat people - to cheat me and many others, I'm sure! I trusted you and you took advantage of it. You took the money and ran. You thought you could run away from me. No, I live in Waterloo. I live here! As long as you don't get your bloody ass out of this area, you will continue to bump into me. This is how you make your luck! Sorry but you chose the wrong person to cheat." I lectured.

He promised to return me the money and asked for my address and number. I told him not to bother. He insisted to have at least my number to prove his intentions. This time I gave the number and him another chance. I told him that it's up to him what he wants to do with it.

"You know I don't believe you anyway. I've already knew you're a con artist. Since you've showed up, let me tell you that I've given your photo and name to the police. You must have forgotten I had your ID! I called your previous employer and we have jointly made a police report against you. They've also given me details of where you lived and all your telephone numbers. Let me be very clear to you. Your records are with the police. People like you deserve to live in fear."

This must have gotten him really troubled. He knew he has lost the bargain with me. He promised to get the money back to me by Monday with the promise that I'll drop the case against him. I told him the number he's holding was the only opportunity left for him to prove it.

He tried to talk me out of this but I didn't want to talk to him anymore. I walked out of the conversation.

For the very first time, I felt extremely good for being a snob and said all that I've wanted to say to a criminal without the risk of being harmed.

Looks

I was exploring a website recommended once by BBC's technology segment. It's a face transformation website.

I cropped one of my photos and played with the transformation. The first choice was to reverse my face into a baby's. It turned out like a killer Chuckie! In fact I discovered I have an extra set of teeth than I wished for.

Then, I went on to transform myself into a child and then an old man. It was really scary looking at myself becoming old. I looked dry and haggard.

Then there was a function to make myself an Afro-Caribbean. Hmm, I actually liked the way I look as an African! I've also made myself a Caucasian. I thought I looked like one of my colleagues in this one, and had I been one, I would most likely be another John!

Then I tried immortalising myself into a manga character. I thought this made me look like an evil manga character. I should show less of my teeth!
I went a little further to see how I would have looked 3 million years ago at the early curve of evolution. I must be the first fossil to be unearthed with a pair of spectacles!

I haven't found any of the transformation near to what I was, so I hope I wouldn't find myself near to what they say I'll be!

After coming out of the site, it's become clear that there is so much more to know in the world than our human understanding can understand and grasp. I am now more convinced there is such a thing as God.

London Pride Run

The weather looked promising for the weekend so I checked the RunnersWorld website to sign up for a race. The "best 10k race in London" was happening on Saturday.


It's the London Pride Run, organised by the London LGBT runners. But it's not a run only for LGBT. It's also opened to the public. Places to run was filled two months ago. So I didn't get a place through the proper channel. One of the runners in RunnersWorld was injured. So I took over her place. She was very kind to give me her race number without asking me to pay. Feeling a little bit guilty, I bought her a box of chocolates from Marks and Spencer. So I hope that would help heal her injury faster.

The race was held in Victoria Park, down at London's East End and participated by 800 runners. As this was an LGBT event, there was a good mix of LGBT runners too. It was a strange run actually. I was surrounded by some males who were more feminine than females and ladies who were more masculine than males.

Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets AC clubhouse

The event was well-organised nonetheless. It was chip-timing. Yes, for a 10k race and only 800 runners, this is really something.

New system with chip deactivation after race?

Still, I don't know why it's the best 10k race. Not like the goodie bag came with a day pass to dress as drag queen or sexy underwears. Or perhaps there was a goodie bag for a 10k race was admirable? I don't know.

Breakfast and goodie bag to all runners

I didn't see much difference between this and other 10k races. Well, to be fair, the LGBT volunteers/marshalls did a marvellous job in organising this event and I had a good time in the race.

I smashed my previous PB with a time of 43mins 18secs.

Math play

I received an email of a math play this morning. I thought this was quite clever and whoever thought of this must have plenty of time to do so!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 +5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 +2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 +5 = 11111
12345 x 9 +6 = 111111
123456 x 9 +7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 +8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 +9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10 = 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Finally someone has found a way to make mathematics as pretty as a Christmas tree.