I Got Robbed in Perú

November 24, 2010 made my fourth vacation trip to Perú. I've always had a great time and made some lifetime friendships. I even have a goddaughter and several extended families with whom I stay in touch and send money between trips. Perú has become my home away from home.

Being from New York and having traveled to more than 100 cities in 13 countries, I'm usually privy to shady characters and their slick games long before they open their mouths. When traveling, I learned to take solid precautions against robberies, theft, and other related offenses. I've even ventured and lived in one of Lima's roughest neighborhoods and was never given a second look, let alone harmed.

However In December 2010, I became very sick. I thought, perhaps, it was something I drank and that plenty of rest would help me recover. That did not happen. My condition got progressively worse, and I ended up in a local hospital. Later that evening, I was awakened by a member of one of my extended families. She was with my goddaughter and her family, plus others from the community. To this day, I really appreciate the love and support during this very trying time.

“Smiling Faces show no traces
of the evil that lurks within"
The Undisputed Truth

One of the woman, I'll call her Jezebela, kept hugging me, and even encouraged me to change shirts with the one she brought because mine was very dirty. She even rode with me by ambulance to a bigger and better hospital where I was treated very well and released five days later. That's when I noticed about 150 Peruvian dollars (nueva soles) missing. Also missing were my cell phone and two luxury pens.

About 150 Peruvian dollars
(nueva soles) came up missing

On the day of my discharge from the hospital, I got a call from Jezebela's mother inviting me to stay with her family for the duration of my vacation. This extended family of mine, made sure I ate right and got my proper rest. Jezebela herself seemed unusually happier with me than normal. She always wears a lovely smile, and from day one had a pleasing personality, but as the old Rhythm and Blues song goes, smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within. Because of my closeness to Jezebela, her family, and members of her community, I let my guards down more than once. Jezebela seems to feel that I'm much wealthier than I really am because I'm a gringo. She probably thinks that that I didn't even miss the money nor any of my personal belongings. Yes, Jezebela is my #1 suspect in this robbery. However, there isn't much I can do about it... at least right now, but what goes around comes around.