March 28, 2008
Victim Takes Teen Mugger to Dinner
Granted this story could have ended badly, it's nice that a heartwarming tale was the final result. NPR reports on New Yorker Julio Diaz, a 31-year-old social worker, who often frequents his favorite Bronx diner on his commute home. When a teenage boy mugged him at knife point on the subway platform one of those nights, Diaz offered him his jacket and changed the course of things.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."Needless to say, the kid gave Diaz his wallet back...but he also handed over the knife he used to mug him. So maybe, just maybe, he's found a new way to make some money. [via Kottke]The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
UPDATE: For those questioning the validity of the story, it was produced by StoryCorps, a Brooklyn company that tells us "all stories that are produced for broadcast are fact checked to the best of our ability and approved by the storytellers. We do not make any significant edits to the content of the story."
Photo via hellophotokitty's flickr.
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I sure hope people keep the comments positive as this is a really great story. I'm not sure how effective it would be to take a mugger to dinner everytime but its nice to hear that the kid did some growing up.
A liberal is a liberal who's been mugged, taken the mugger out for a meal, and had everything end happily.
I totally blame the victim!
And to append my prior comment, I wish every robbery could end this nicely. Great story.
..and then Diaz stabbed him.
AMAZING!
This is definitely a good story and a hit post from Jen, a little Chicken Soup for the Subway Commuter Soul.
I'll make this quick, because I'm due back on Planet Earth: Are you people out of your minds?
This kid wasn't risking his "freedom." He picked his mark - like a PRO - and got a free dinner.
The reality is someone pulled a knife on a New Yorker and was rewarded with a meal AND their wallet.
The mark bragging about his being nice to the waiters was priceless. NPR couldn't have (re)written it better.
yaaaaay!
"If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
Awww, thanks for making sure my daughter's assailant is properly attired, d-bag.
My heart is not warmed by this story, because I know that in the Bronx there are thousands and thousands of working poor who do not steal or threaten people with knives. It is good that this social worker treats the working people at the diner with respect - too many do not do that and he sets a good example there. But part of respecting working people is not rewarding those that prey upon them.
amazing story....thanks.....this Julio Diaz must be one hell of a social worker
@ polite new yorker:
I'm with you on all points. Where you hailing from? I'm on Bailey ave in Kingsbridge.
Diaz sounds like a very decent character. Good to know people like him are out there.
my mistake, thought you said you were in the bronx.
regardless, i see it daily and can't agree more.
ared,
can you read, he gave the wallet back
d-bag
What's wrong with you Ared?! Normally my cynical self would think Diaz was a fool for risking his life to reach out to the punk. But being a social worker I assume that he could see there's something in the kid that he can try to reach out to before he becomes another number in prison or worst, and handle the situation without taking on risk to his well being. If just that one kid can turn his life around because of this simple act of kindness, it would have made it all worthwhile.
dude69 is right here. julio diaz read this kid & knew what was up. sure, there are plenty of working poor who don't resort to crime, but this story is not about the kid. it's about the social worker.
people usually resort to crime when they think there is no other option & this guy showed this kid that he does have options. i know it sounds corny but: 1 man can make a difference.
the most important part of this story is that the kid gave up his knife.
Of course, I have to be the wet blanket who says "Do we have proof this is true?"
If you'll take a moment to stop patting yourselves on the back for believing Manhattan is Mayberry, I'd ask you to consider the fact that Diaz' logic is twisted.
His first instinct was to facilitate a criminal's "night on the town."
This story "turned out well" only if you think someone who hits the streets looking to prey on you deserves a dinner and someone's wallet, which is exactly what he received.
The fact that he returned the wallet, after effectively helping himself to its contents, is irrelevant.
The mugger would NOT have received the meal had he not pulled a knife on Diaz.
I once tried that reverse pyschology trick on a black kid mugger too. I was like "I'm a social worker. Did your father rape you? is that why you are so angry? Your family must be really poor if you are trying to rob me for cash. Your mom probably couldn't afford birth control that's why she had you. I can get you help" For some reason that kid tried to stab me after I tried to help him. Luckily, I was carrying around a knife of my own and the kid got scared and ran when I brandished it. Lesson learned though, next time just show em the knife.
A liberal is a liberal who's been mugged, taken the mugger out for a meal, and had everything end happily.
Um, trying to turn people onto the right path is not relevant to political ideology.
Well I guess then the kid was lucky too that he didn't try to mug you, Ared. You could've been stabbed and he be put away for a long time, happy ending for all!
[22] That sentence was a variation on the axiom "A conservative is a liberal who's been mugged," coined by Irving Kristol. Tom Wolfe in turn said that "A liberal is a conservative who's been arrested."
The comment was not entered as a sui generis political statement, but a co-optation of both polictical cliches. You're right, however. A single act of altruism shouldn't be treated as a basis for political mindsets, showing the underlying flaw in Kristol's shorthand logic and Wolfe's wit.
ared your post makes it clear that you have no idea what you're talking about. it took place in the bronx. his instinct was of a social worker, which was to make this kid think. by offering his jacket, he elicited a "WTF moment" from the kid to spark a conversation. the story "turned out well" because the kid gave up his knife & is now in contact with a social worker. understand now?
oh & Bottomless Chips, Dave Hogarty was referencing the old joke:
"A Liberal is a Conservative that just hasn't been mugged yet"
Well the guy that mugged me put a gun to my head
so that made it a little difficult to ask him to join me to dine.
This is a great story. Now the kid can go rob someone else on a full stomach.
its probably harder to stab someone if you're shivering...good thing he has the coat.
Again: Do we have any sort of objective confirmation? In the age of James Frey and Margaret B. Jones, I'm a little suspicious of "one man's heart-warming true story."
Maybe I'm just a cynical assh*le.
Also, I guess I feel like the kid deserves to be punished. I feel bad for his circumstances but don't believe that justifies being a criminal.
Jesus was right when he said if someone robs you give him your coat also. Jesus was talking about reverse psychology! Jesus probably used that on some mugger during his travels. He used it cuz it worked!
word. Turning the other cheek really worked out for Jesus. Jesus got the old Longinus spear in his abdomen a couple o times. The worst part about Jesus Crucifixion was the adult diapers in my opinion. To be remembered throughout history wearing Huggies ultra absorbant underoos is too shameful.
This article could be the start of a new Homoerotic
story the kind they used to broadcast on Public Access channel 67 before censorship.
Wow, that story was a liberal's wet dream. Did they hug afterwards?
Too bad we defeated Hitler, we shoulda just let him take over the world if he was that desperate...
Ugh. Why do I keep reading the comments on this site?
Here is a story that IS true and has a better ending. Also, this kid is much more likely to not attempt to rob anyone else unlike the story above:
http://www.rightwingnews.com/mt331/2008/03/84_yearold_multiple_war_vetera.php
In case the link does not work, it is about a 84 year old Marine held up at knife point:
"The boy said, “Old man, give me your wallet or I’ll cut you,” Bair said. The man told the boy he was a former Marine who fought in three wars and had been threatened with knives and bayonets, Bair said.
The man then put his bags on the ground and told the boy that if he stepped closer he would be sorry. When the boy stepped closer, the man kicked him in the groin, knocking him to the sidewalk, Bair said. The ex-Marine picked up his grocery bags and walked home, leaving the boy doubled over, Bair said."
By George Glass