Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Xavier's encounter at Wal-Mart

Encounter at Wal-Mart

Gave me shivers.

I handed Little Darling her bag and took her hand as we began to negotiate the maze of parked automobiles. I glanced back and saw that the two young men had spread apart, one on either side of us and to the rear. That is when I felt it. They had matched my stride and were circling me. Like an antelope, I knew I was being stalked by jackals, only I did not know why. Time was accelerating at head pounding speed, and Little Darling, blissfully unaware, was along for the ride.


I spun and drew my pistol from it's holster, keeping it at low ready, facing off the other young man who was quickly approaching me from behind. My thumb had already snicked off the safety and Little Darling, confused, peered from behind me.


The officer asked for my identification, and I presented my driver's license and my carry permit. At his request, I shut off my engine and got out of the Jeep. My knees were weak. I shuddered as I told the officer my story. I did not know why I was being herded and stalked, but I explained that I knew what was happening and felt it deep in my bones. I had been prey.


They had waited for a customer to purchase the object of their lust, and then followed the customer out of the store to score. My little girl's life and my own life had been threatened for a damned toy.


This morning, when I told her I blogged about it, she remembered the experience. Her comment......"Yeah, that was funny...." I asked her to elaborate. Funny it wasn't, I said, I was scared. She said, "I wasn't, I was with you." Such is the trust granted to us by our children. We should strive to deserve it.


Read it now.

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