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.