The etiquette of breaking someone’s phone, and having your phone broken

I like to think of myself as an inherently trusting person. Take this story, for example. Two weeks ago, I was in Liverpool city center with my fiancee. It was 1am and we were walking to the hotel. This is typically the time when most pubs and bars close, sending their patrons off into the night in search of ATMs, fast food, and other places to drink. As we were trundling up the aptly-named Hardman Street, a young man no more than nineteen years old approached us. “Excuse me” he sai