A typical Saturday night
Last Saturday didn’t start well. I went to a wedding expo. I was already traumatised. But that was by women. I bounce back. I’m resilient to the effects of lace and satin and bad cake. (This is sarcasm)
That night I went to Soho for a leaving do. One of my girls was off to Ghana for good. It was but my duty to attend. I got to private members club Apt 58 and went straight to the bar. I asked for my usual. He looked at me like, “bitch, you’re not a member”. He’s right. So I asked for a bottle of Prosecco. He said they didn’t have any. Instead they had champagne. Was I willing to pay double to get drunk? Turns out I was having a sensible moment and ordered a cranberry juice instead.
2 cranberry juices and lots of dancing to 90s RnB later it was after 1am. The lights were on. Hugs and tears were exchanged and I was ready to go home. I put on my coat and left for the short walk back to Shaftbury Avenue.
Leaving the club
As I left the club I put on my headphones but on low. Britney was on and as she and I thought about someone who drove us ‘Crazy’ I turned into Lexington Street. There was a diversion so it was darker than normal but people were walking up so it was safe. As I walked I heard a guy behind me. I turned, he was on his phone. He was 10-15 paces behind me. Why was I being so paranoid. Not every guy was out to attack me.
Britney and I got to the tricky key change when he ran up behind me and pulled my coat up over my waist and pulled my dress up nearly tearing my dress. I screamed. I’ve never screamed like that before. My throat still hurts 6 days later
He tried to put his hands in my tights, I scream again and turn on him. A voice from the other end of the street asks if I’m ok. The guys runs off leaving me dazed and confused. What just happened. In Soho?
Shocked and Shook
I’m shook to the and the kind guy who intervened explains that he didn’t react because he assumed that I knew the guy initially and that he was just fooling around. But when he heard my screams he knew that wasn’t a friend. We both were shocked at his bravado in Soho. A busy part of town on a Saturday night. He advised me to report it. I told him I just wanted to go home to sleep. I avoided mentioning my lekky blanky but that’s it. I wanted to go home and speak to my Fubby and eat a tub of M&S chocolate and forget about it.
I’m just lucky that there was someone else on that street to hear me and intervene. So my screaming saved me. I never thought it would come in handy but, I guess being a loud mouth can save you.
I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt. I was scared and shaken but, I was lucky.
Anyway, more on how the police handled it.
© Chelsea Black
Hey you. Not the way forward to have to learn about disturbing stuff like this on your site as opposed to in person. I’m going to be in London within the coming months, and you and I are going out for a night in Soho, to make a point that Londoners, past and present, won’t be held ransom by those who try and instill fear and violence on the streets.
Blessings that you weren’t badly affected – thinking about you.
Glad you are ok. Hope you reported it as these predators all too often get away with these things because people do not speak up…
Yes I reported it. It’s the right thing to do to prevent others from similar if possible
Ooh nasty! But I guess you got lucky this time.
Better to be paranoid about being attacked on the street than not. I always watch my back, keep an eye on the shadows at night, and am prepared for fight or flight.