Retail Dangers – Lae

I get a call this morning around 10:30am from the local parish priest (on my compound) saying that my next door neighbour/friend of mine has been shot.

“SHOT!?!?!?” (I said…)

[He’s alive/ok – I’ll get to that in a minute tho.]

Mental Aside: [I got that sick/sinking feeling in the stomach straight away. I’ve had “that sinking feeling” a few times in life – but this was another level again. Because this time it was also anger and frustration… Thinking: he’s got kids and he’s a nice guy and he’s a local business owner and he’s a good employer and, and, and… it’s just not fair!] Arrrrrgh! Right – off to the hausik.

Anyways, this guy is a good friend, a current cheque signatory for ACPNG, early 40’s, came to the work chrissy party lives in the next house to me on the compound - I work with him quite often. In fact, he’s one of the few people who (for example) was helping me somewhat with the last 6 months of legal shenanigans.

I just got back from the clinic where he’s at now. He was being sewn up when I went in the first time, and he was droopy, but complice the second time. Had a brief chat. Then I went and bought doughnuts for the 15 friends/family standing around outside the clinic and came back to work.

Right – so it turns out he was coming out of his business (he’s part owner of a 2nd hand clothes store) down at Eriku, and getting into the van out the front. Three guys came around the side all shooting pistols into the air. Eventually, one of the raskols has stabbed him once near the car – but thankfully not very deeply. I learned later this was during the snatch-and-grab of cutting his clothes/bag away from him. By the time I was called by the parish priest (20 minutes later or something), the story was that he’d been shot. Typical chinese whispers. But understandable since everyone heard shots, then there’s a guy bleeding from the stomach getting rushed away in a van. But he’s going to be OK.

Of course, the raskols made off with some cash.

If anyone was reading my Retail Therapy blog a week or so ago – that was the same strip, and Value City (that same store) was that store where I got the books and shoes the other week. Good store. Good man. Crazy b****rds...