Creative theft

I took the overnight bus from Jakarta to Bandar Lampung. It leaves at 10 p.m., crosses the straight on a ferry and arrives before 6 a.m., all for the astronomical price of 8$ (well, in bisnis class, the executiv is 10$..). The only fear, especially when you carry a lot of expensive equipment, is the reportedly frequent thefts that take place on it.
I list the most interesting methods (skipping simple dexterity, such as pulling money out of a zipped front pant's pocket with legs folded and backpack on the lap..), narrated to me from unfortunate, direct sources.
1. You have left your backpack on the overhead compartment, right above yourself; while the scoundrel pretends to stand there, holding on, and then walk toward the exit, he will be instead moving your backpack forward. Once he is at a safe distance from you, he will simply pick it up and leave, and you (if you are awake), won't suspect it is yours.
2. You are holding your laptop bag safely between your feet. But the malefactor will delicately cut it open, and remove the laptop, leaving you pitifully holding the empty container.
3. You are tenderly hugging your laptop bag, on your lap. You fall asleep, and when you wake up you find yourself holding a bag with food in it.
4. You are addressed by a stranger. You make the mistake of looking him in the eyes, you get hypnotized, and simply hand him the bag.

The loading was fascinating: 15 large pieces of luggage of odd and ungainly shapes, moved around in all possible ways (some were repeated), more and more roughly and frantically as the departure time approached and passed. There was no way to fit them all, despite the valiant attempts, and in the end I was asked to board the bus, so I don't know what happened to the ones left outside.

I didn't sleep much. I sat next to a chubby, loving mother and her 4 year old daughter that was always falling from her belly on me, it was funny and also tender.

My old time friend Ade came to pick me up, he doesn't work in Canguk anymore, works with elephants in Kambas, has retained his insane fascination for Mafia, and will get married at the end of the month!

(I might post his list of requirements for his ideal wife..)