I think I should start back to the second studio class. We had all finished our pathway models and we had displayed them in the center of the desks. And then the professor had asked if any of us wanted to talk about any of the models specifically. At that point, I just really wanted to speak up. So I picked up a yellowish model that had a circular structure with staircases around it... It didn't make sense.
Turns out it belonged to this guy... "Mark". We'll call him that. Anyway, last week in our building construction class we were assigned to build frame models. I had my partner and Mark had his. Tuesday morning this week, we all arrived for the studio class- I arrived at 8:15 am because I couldn't sleep the night before, and I had brought my Teffilin (phylacteries) or prayer straps, to school because I wanted to pray on the bus. I then left the Teffilin on the table, leaning on the column, next to our studio corner. It was placed there due to a lack of a personal locker.
It was there all day, 12 pm as far as I remembered. But after class, the groups reformed to finish the frame models. My partner and I worked at the head of Diamond's Studio corner, and Mark and his partner worked on the desks that my Teffilin was by. Around 4:30pm Mark and his partner let us know that they're going out to by materials, so we asked if they could pick up some for us. They call at about 5, just to make sure that they're getting the right stuff. They come back, my partner pays his half, Mark hands me the change and says to pay him back $5 to make it even. "I'll pay you back on Friday, I don't have cash now... We're in class together so you can trust me." or something along those lines.
7:30pm rolls around, I'm insanely tired and I was in need to catch the last bus to Monsey. So I picked up everything I could and began to head out. Not seeing my Teffilin where I'd left them, my brain automatically assumed that I had packed them away. So I left.
Next morning I'm on the bus and realize that I had completely forgotten my Teffilin in school! Hoping that that the rule was still being kept: That the Architecture Studio will not be touched by the cleaning crew, and anything you leave there might still be there the next morning.
I arrive at the studio around 9:30, and there are classes going on, but I tried to take a look around to see if I spot the Teffilin.
No Luck.
So I run upstairs and ask the security guard if he's seen anyone bring it to the lost and found. He points me in the direction to check the Lost & Found on 1855 Broadway. And they pointed me back to the other security guard.
No Luck.
Now the reason I was there early Wednesday morning was because my partner and I still needed to complete our frame model. Somewhere between 11am-12pm Mark shows up and asks if I had the $5. I told him "Yes, but it's only $2 in cash and the rest is in change."
He says, 'Never mind, I'll wait for the cash." So I reminded him that I'll pay it on Friday. Soon I remembered that the studio class was getting together on Thursday to build the Site Model, so I invited him to join.
We finished our model around 12:30pm. Quickly rushed to finish everything else before our history class at 2:20pm. Meanwhile, I had gone back upstairs to the security desk and asked again if my Teffilin had been seen.
No Luck.
Class starts, I'm given the idea to ask if I can see the security cameras. So I go and ask, and then run down to the studio to check all of the drawers to see if someone had stuffed it in there, and I looked on top of the air vents to see if it was hidden up there.
No Luck.
I get back to class, and finish up. And then run to get snacks for the 6pm Building Construction class. At this time, the security was going through the video tapes from Tuesday. At around 7:15 I received a text from the security desk that they want me to come see the video recording. I had to leave class abruptly.
The guard zoomed into the corner where my Teffilin was. You can see it clearly from the camera's view. At 5:57pm on the camera, Mark is seen moving his bag in front of the Teffilin- obstructing the view of the camera. And then suddenly the next frame is him and the Teffilin are gone!
After identifying Mark as the suspect, the security guard said he doesn't think it's enough to go on and I shouldn't get my hopes up. But he will file a report and I should take it up with the Director of Security William Joseph tomorrow. In the meantime, I shouldn't confront Mark, since we are in the same class together and nothing good can come from it.
I went back to class after that, and just in time for the break! My partner and I had a secret meeting about what happened, but I didn't tell him it was Mark that we suspect took my Teffilin. My partner narrowed it down himself, which was pretty cool, but I told him to keep it a secret for now because we didn't want to frighten Mark.
Mark happened to be sitting 9 feet away from us, and thinking back now, he was giving us a bad look...
Anyway, the next day, I went to class after asking the morning security guard if Mr. Joseph was in. I would have to see him later after class. My classes seemed to be more important that hunting down the culprit, but only because I personally believed I'd have it returned after praying extra hard since I first found out who took it.
Sitting in Mr. Joseph's office, he discussed with me the report and then left to check the video cameras. He returned saying that there was nothing on the cameras. But it turns out he didn't know where to look, nor how to zoom in on the image. So we left together to watch the film.
As soon as he saw the same frames that I'd seen with the night guard, Mr. Joseph suddenly changed his tune and even called the 20th Precinct for me.
15 minutes later, Officer Firro and Officer Castro arrived and began to make a report. And then they too viewed the video. They noted that there was a 45 second gap between the two images.
But the evidence was clearly pointing at Mark.
Some Luck.
Meanwhile, we were all standing in the Lobby of 1855 Broadway, and students are coming in and staring, and I was feeling slightly humiliated although no one really knew who I was. But there were one or two peole who joked around asking what I was being arrested for, since I was being escorted between the two buildings by 2 police officers and the campus security.
Soon after that, Officer Firro's supervisor was called to the school. He seemed to be the fixer. And he was good at it. Officer Firro tried to make small talk with me and speculated that perhaps the $5 that I owed Mark was the reason he may have taken the Teffilin as collateral. It seemed to make sense.
Soon we had left to enter the studio where Mark was supposed to be according to one of my friends. We had missed Mark by 10 minutes, or maybe he heard the police were there and ran... I don't know.
The whole studio was buzzing since I was in the center of the police escort. One dark-skinned student actually asked if something was wrong because "I kind of worry when there's a group of cops around."
Mark's partner was downstairs and found out what was happening, and was then asked to call Mark to come back to school. We all then went upstairs to the Admissions Office so I could speak with Mark on the phone ask him if he could come back as soon as possible.
The supervising officer asked me earlier if I would be ok if I got my stuff back, and I said sure! I really didn't need or want to cause so much trouble in or for the school. I really did just want my stuff back.
ANYWAY, after talking to Mark for a minute, we made up that he would meet me in the Admissions Office at 7pm so he could return my Teffilin. The officers told me that if he failed to do so, I should immediately call 911, or the number to the precinct so they could go to Mark's house, arrest him and return my stolen item.
So we all hoped he would show up. Meantime, in the studio, many people asked why there were cops downstairs... Pretty soon the whole studio (100 people) will know... Which is going to be awkward for Mark but not me, I was humiliated enough today.
6:45pm I begin to head upstairs to wait for Mark. The night security guard opened the Admissions Office for me since that was the meeting place, and it was completely private.
6:55pm I called Mark and got the voicemail.
7:10pm Mark entered the building and was stopped by the other guard who didn't know that he was the one who had my Teffilin.
When he did hand it back, he offered a very strange "I'm sorry I took it." And then I began to examine the bag...
The Teffilin bag inside was turned side ways, the Teffilin were unwrapped. The back zipper was slightly opened and it looked like someone had gone through it looking for money, not knowing that the true value was $2,500.00 for the boxes.
So I muttered a "WHY IS IT RIPPED UP?!" which made Mark panic a little-- I may have done that on purpose. But then I thanked him for giving it back and said "See you tomorrow in class!" with a shy smile.
Mark left and then the night guard began to make a final report about the exchange. I told him to put down that the bag was pulled apart. And then I explained to him that married men have a larger bag for their Tallis (Prayer Shawl) and that they usually keep small bags of change and money inside, and perhaps that was the reason my Teffilin bag was heavily disheveled.
And then I went home happy... Lesson Learned!
Thanks for reading, dear reader.
~ArchiTalmud
No comments:
Post a Comment