A fellow opened a door at the end of the walkway; I watched him as he walked toward us. He was well-dressed in a black suit-jacket and a white shirt. He seemed a little confused, as if not quite sure exactly what was going on. He reached us and, speaking English, asked if a hotel was nearby. He apparently was in the same situation as we and also knew it was late at night and becoming dangerous. When I was unable to help him, he walked over to a nearby bench and sat down.

I continued talking to Bonnie and told her I thought I had seen a sign for a hotel in the mall. I said, "Well, Bonnie, we're just going to have to get a hotel room. It'll cost thirty dollars."

She exclaimed, "Thirty Dollars! We can't pay thirty dollars for a hotel!"

I replied, "Look it's better to pay thirty dollars tonight than for you to get your face all cut up out there on the street and have to pay a thousand dollars to get it fixed tomorrow."

She answered, "Yea, you're right now that I think about it."

"Look," I continued, "there aren't even any taxis around here."

While pondering what to do next, we walked over and sat down on the same bench where the other fellow had sat. Another person had also walked up and was now sitting on the fellow's left. I sat on the fellow's right and Bonnie sat down on my right.

The fellow began talking again, but his English was poor and I had difficulty understanding him. He seemed to be a nice fellow and I began to form the idea that he might want to share a hotel room with us. We might be able to get a room with a couple beds. He could sleep in one and Bonnie and I could sleep in the other. I was unsure that was what he wanted.

I somehow thought Bonnie was going to object to the whole idea. At first I thought she did not have a good reason for objecting, but then I thought she might have a point: I really did not know the fellow well.

The fellow took off his coat and laid it between us. As I continued talking to Bonnie, I noticed he was feeling around for something close to my left leg rather close to my butt, but I was not quite sure what he was doing. I moved around and then suddenly thought, "He's taken my wallet."

I turned around so my back was toward Bonnie and I said, "Bonnie, feel back there and see if my wallet is still in my pocket. I think this guy has taken it."

She felt my pocket and my billfold was still there. I turned back around, but still kept watching the fellow. He began reaching again and I knew for sure he was trying to get my billfold. I made a quick move to get away from him, but he suddenly reached into his pocket, jerked out a knife, and lunged at me with it. I quickly grabbed him and we tumbled from the bench. Bonnie stood up as the fellow and I began fighting. We twisted around so he was in front of me with his back to me holding the knife in front of him. I was afraid he had been in this kind of situation before and would know how to flip me over his shoulders and stab me with the knife. I held on for dear life.

I wondered if I should begin hollering to Bonnie for help. I was unsure whether I should involve her in the fight because she might get hurt. I did not want to be killed myself, but I still did not know whether to holler.