A time to talk and a time to fight.

[GP44]

A few years back and being a bit of a night owl I drove the few blocks to our only all night gas station late one night.
I parked just to the left of the door in front of the building and went inside and made a purchase and while paying for it the attendant said.
“See that guy out there at the pump, I’m pretty sure he is the guy who robbed me before.”
One reason why she was sure was because she recognized the kind of red shoes he had on.
You could tell that she was scared while telling how he had hit her over the head with his gun when he robbed her before.
I told her that I had my gun on me and that she needn’t be scared because I would hang around for a while.
I went back out and stood on the other side of the front of my car and watched the guy at the pump. I had the feeling he knew I was watching him although he never looked directly at me.
She came outside and stood behind me.
A police car drove by and she tried to flag it down but it just drove on.
It was dark and quiet only myself and the attendant and the guy who was messing around over by the pump.
He must have got in and out of the open drivers door ten times and walked around his car sometimes opening the back door and reaching around in there.
I stood there with my hand on my gun in my pocket ready in case he drew a weapon from his car.
Finally after about fifteen minutes he got in his car and left.
I drove around the block a few times and around town and he was gone.
I told about this on a defensive forum and the guys said it wasn’t my place to protect her but I think that she was too scared to stay inside and call the police and although I had a cell phone I was intent on keeping an eye on him.
At a time like that you are either in or out and it’s either time to talk or time to be ready to fight.

 

[Trish]

Good that you were there and willing to protect the attendant but, I don't understand why neither of you called the police.

The attendant said she was sure he had attacked and robbed her previously, he stayed around for quite some time, if the police had come, they might have got there in time to arrest him. My concern would be that he would just come back another night or drive around until he found an easier target.

It's not a criticism, we all do what we feel best in a given situation and I am sure the attendant was very glad that you were there that night.

 

[gruntlabor]

A few years back and being a bit of a night owl I drove the few blocks to our only all night gas station late one night.
I parked just to the left of the door in front of the building and went inside and made a purchase and while paying for it the attendant said.
“See that guy out there at the pump, I’m pretty sure he is the guy who robbed me before.”
One reason why she was sure was because she recognized the kind of red shoes he had on.
You could tell that she was scared while telling how he had hit her over the head with his gun when he robbed her before.
I told her that I had my gun on me and that she needn’t be scared because I would hang around for a while.
I went back out and stood on the other side of the front of my car and watched the guy at the pump. I had the feeling he knew I was watching him although he never looked directly at me.
She came outside and stood behind me.
A police car drove by and she tried to flag it down but it just drove on.
It was dark and quiet only myself and the attendant and the guy who was messing around over by the pump.
He must have got in and out of the open drivers door ten times and walked around his car sometimes opening the back door and reaching around in there.
I stood there with my hand on my gun in my pocket ready in case he drew a weapon from his car.
Finally after about fifteen minutes he got in his car and left.
I drove around the block a few times and around town and he was gone.
I told about this on a defensive forum and the guys said it wasn’t my place to protect her but I think that she was too scared to stay inside and call the police and although I had a cell phone I was intent on keeping an eye on him.
At a time like that you are either in or out and it’s either time to talk or time to be ready to fight.

I am so grateful for people like you. I know that your sort is far more numerous than your acquaintance who believed it was not your place (it absolutely was!) to protect her.
I remember many years ago a young woman --a convenience-store clerk --was killed in a robbery. She had four small children.

 

[OldFeller]

I don't think the guy at the pump was the perpetrator of the robbery and assault.

She based her identification on his shoes.

He didn't do anything to indicate he was up to no good.

Besides, hard to believe the perpetrator would return to the scene of the crime.

If you're being there relieved her anxiety, then that's a good thing.

 

[Teacher Terry]

It was definitely the right thing to do to stay in there until he left to protect her in case she needed it. When I was in my early 30s, I drove a big old truck. One night I was driving out of our dead end street and saw a man dressed in a suit and trenchcoat get out of a very old Rundown car.

There was a girl of maybe 12 walking by and he approached her and showed her what looked to be a badge . He was trying to get her to get in his car. I backed up my truck and aimed it right at him and honked the horn. He looked at me and walked over and I rolled up my window enough that he couldn’t put his arm in.

He told me he was a cop and he was giving her a ride home because she shouldn’t be out walking alone in the dark. It wasn’t that late maybe 7 PM. I told him that I would take her home and that if he’s so much went near her again, I was going to run him over with my truck and ask questions later. That’s exactly what I did and he drove away in the car. If he had been a real cop he would’ve called for back up.

What caught my attention to begin with was that she was scared of him and backing up away from him. I told her that her instincts were very good. Even back then there’s plenty of fake cops with phony badges. i’m not usually very brave, but I had kids at home around the same age and my motherly instincts just took over to protect her.