I've run into some dumb people, but now I've found a new low. I went to my local gun shop this afternoon, basically just to look around and grab some ammo if prices were good. As I'm leaving the store, I go around the corner to the parking lot, and immediately notice a kinda scruffy looking guy leaning against the side of the building. He's just an average looking mid 20s guy, but something about him just gets my hackles up. I instantly found a reason to transfer my right hand nearer to my hip as I walk towards him. He looks up, sees me, and, "Hey bro, can you do me a big favor?" I keep walking, and give my head a little shake. He steps out in front of me, not blocking my way, but kind of in my path. "Just a little favor, you'll make a little money for your time, it's nothing bad." Another person is walking up from behind him, and they slow down as they notice our exchange.
The guy says, "Bro, all I need...sorry, it's kinda embarassing, but would buy some ammo for me?" I'm kinda shocked, I was expecting to get the usual cash request, or asked for a ride, or "help for getting home".
The other person has gone around us, and is going in the store. I'm still moving toward my car, keeping my eyes on the guy, and he says "C'mon bro, they won't sell to me for some reason, I dunno why, but it's nothing wrong that I've done."
He realizes that he's not going to get anything from me now, and he gives me a kind of wave as I get in my car. I start up, back up, and I see he's still leaning against the store, waiting for someone else to come out. I pull around to the front of the store, where he can't see where I went, and i go back inside.
The person who had been walking to the store is at the counter, talking with the manager. When he sees me, he points and says, "Ask him, he saw it too."
The manager asks me, "Did someone speak to you in the parking lot?" I reply, "Yes indeed" give the guy's basic decription, and tell him that the guy just looked WRONG.
The manager picks up the phone, calls the non-emergency phone number, and asks the dispatcher to send a unit over. About 20 minutes later, the police car rolls into the lot, the officer gets out, and goes around the building. 15 seconds later, scruffy guy comes rocketing around the corner, the officer in pursuit, trips going over a curb, and gets nicely low-tackled by the second officer. They took a statement from the manager and I, it turns out the guy had maybe a 1/3 of an ounce of marijuana on him, but the cop said he had it all in dozens of open foil-wraps for pills. He thought it was odd, they were so small that it would've taken several just for a thin joint, and packing them would have been a PAIN.
I'm still nervous from this, something about this guy just hit my "WRONG WRONG WRONG" button right away. I've been around lots of "bad" people, including a multiple murderer (released, time served, now a Scared Straight speaker, and one hell of a good Thermoquad tuner), but none of them ever got me to react this strongly.
The guy says, "Bro, all I need...sorry, it's kinda embarassing, but would buy some ammo for me?" I'm kinda shocked, I was expecting to get the usual cash request, or asked for a ride, or "help for getting home".
The other person has gone around us, and is going in the store. I'm still moving toward my car, keeping my eyes on the guy, and he says "C'mon bro, they won't sell to me for some reason, I dunno why, but it's nothing wrong that I've done."
He realizes that he's not going to get anything from me now, and he gives me a kind of wave as I get in my car. I start up, back up, and I see he's still leaning against the store, waiting for someone else to come out. I pull around to the front of the store, where he can't see where I went, and i go back inside.
The person who had been walking to the store is at the counter, talking with the manager. When he sees me, he points and says, "Ask him, he saw it too."
The manager asks me, "Did someone speak to you in the parking lot?" I reply, "Yes indeed" give the guy's basic decription, and tell him that the guy just looked WRONG.
The manager picks up the phone, calls the non-emergency phone number, and asks the dispatcher to send a unit over. About 20 minutes later, the police car rolls into the lot, the officer gets out, and goes around the building. 15 seconds later, scruffy guy comes rocketing around the corner, the officer in pursuit, trips going over a curb, and gets nicely low-tackled by the second officer. They took a statement from the manager and I, it turns out the guy had maybe a 1/3 of an ounce of marijuana on him, but the cop said he had it all in dozens of open foil-wraps for pills. He thought it was odd, they were so small that it would've taken several just for a thin joint, and packing them would have been a PAIN.
I'm still nervous from this, something about this guy just hit my "WRONG WRONG WRONG" button right away. I've been around lots of "bad" people, including a multiple murderer (released, time served, now a Scared Straight speaker, and one hell of a good Thermoquad tuner), but none of them ever got me to react this strongly.
