DiiGMaa

Must Read !!!

This is an eye opener for all you young ladies out there, and you lads too.

Thanks to The Six-K Club I have been in an extremely fit mood lately. I’ve been working out with the group once or twice on a weekly basis and have been inspired to go for a walk and sometimes even a run on my own time almost every day.

So on Thursday evening after having an amazing “im6abag hamour” (a traditional Kuwaiti rice and fish dish) for lunch with the family, my sister and I decided to go for a walk even though we didn’t over do it with the rice. We got in the car and decided to go somewhere different as a change of scenery; we headed to the Surra walkway (Mamsha).

The strange thing was that I had a hunch before heading there and told a friend the day before that I feel uncomfortable going to Surra and walking alone. I thank god I decided to stay home and do DDR instead. While I was driving to Surra I was explaining to my sister how I felt the night before and she comforted me by telling me many ppl go there and it’s safe. She then began to joke around with me and said that she’s never heard me say “afraid” of anything let alone a pathway that’s quite busy with local runners and walkers from around the area. But it was my hunch that I was more afraid of than the idea of the walkway.

We parked after a number of odd events occurred on our short route to Surra which made my hunch seem like it was being realized and these small incidents were simply foreshadowing a greater purpose. We warmed up and walked half the distance and on our route back to cross the zebra crossing and continue walking the other half of the walkway we suddenly heard the loudest most terrifying screams ever. We stopped. Tried to see what was happening. And there she was, a young lady, in her mid 20’s small framed and petite, dressed in her sports attire and a head scarf was jumping , screaming and crying at the top of her lungs right by the road side. Without even an utter my sister and I instantly ran to see the girl and try to help. We thought she got hit by a car while crossing the road. Yet we realized the cars were moving, and if they stopped they just did so out of curiosity; some runners went by her and didn’t even stop to assist her (typical bystander affect). When we finally approached her, I placed my hand on her shoulder while she continued to scream, shake and tremble in fear. The instant my hand touched her shoulder she startled back, told me off for touching her while pushing my hand away. Yet, as she looked up to see my face and my sisters, she started to weep and realized we came to help. My sister and I continued to give her hugs and held her hand while repeating “ismila 3alaich” so she would calm down and catch her breath. When my sister asked her “what is wrong ? tell us so we can help you. Can we take you home ? Can we call your family ?” all the girl said was: “He grabbed me ! a stranger ! And tried to take me !”

This young lady was walking in Surra, expecting to meet her cousin in a few minutes to join her in her workout, and just in those few minutes a strange man came behind her, grabbed her, wrapped his arms around her firmly lifting her away. At first the young lady thought it was her cousin playing a prank on her but when she looked back and realized it was a frame of a man she started to scream and kick. The man was reaching into his pocket to take something out and the brave girl found it in herself to fight even harder. The instant she was loose he ran into the bushes and into the residential area between all the houses. She, on the other hand, went to the road side and screamed for help in horror.

Moral of this post ?

Don’t walk alone !

If you must walk alone then please keep in mind the following :

• Even if you are waiting for a friend to walk with you, then don’t start without them, as this lady did. Make sure you meet at the right time or wait in your car/house till they reach you.
• If you chose to walk alone make sure it is during the day, in an extremely open area that is busy with other walkers/runners. Try to stay away from quiet walkways in secluded areas that are poorly lit and heavily lined with bushes and trees.
• Do not blast your iPod’s or music too loud.
• Clip a small bottle of pepper spay or mace on your sports gear.
• If anything does happen then scream and fight back to let them know you are strong and not letting in.

If you can not walk during the day or do not have a walking/running partner, please join us at The Six-K Club, a running/walking health awareness club where everyone is welcome, girls and guys, young and old, fit or not; the more people the greater the motivation.

p.s.

I’m not in any of the 6k pics for all you that kept wondering and asking which one I am :P

I’m usually behind the lense or hiding somewhere :P