True story: Yesterday I was coming out of a big box store and walking back to my car across a painted pedestrian cross walk. A lady quickly turned the corner out of the parking lot -missed me by inches and almost ran my foot over because she was "in a hurry" She then had to quickly jam on the brakes for another car and I had a chance to let her know "how i felt"
As a father with kids I always consider "what if scenarios" I told her at the top of my lungs [and not nicely I may add] to "slow down-you're going to kill someone yada yada" She quickly pulled over and with a smirk rolled down her window and said "save it for the cops"
"Oh boy- I thought- Now I can't leave "The Scene" But..I can't wait for this. I'm the pedestrian, she's in the car..I just yelled at her - She just about ran me over and she called the cops on me... I can't wait to see the police come and tell her how "right" I am" I sat down on the curb and waited with eager anticipation to "Watch the law get thrown back in her face" I was sure of it.
The parking lot has three entrances clearly visible from where we were. Like Broadway musical I watched three cop cars speed through each entrance like it was timed to a Broadway musical. "hmmm" I thought....why such the big deal? Queue cop cars: enter stage left, right, center. Three cop cars surrounded me within seconds of each other in a triangle formation. The same formation you see on TV show cops or one of those Helicopter shots when they don't want the "Criminal" to escape.
The cops got out of their cars quickly-doors slamming almost together. No guns drawn but hands on their hip....I instantly felt that big "utt oh" gut check "Hmm this is not right" Something was very serious about this...being Valentines day..many shoppers were around and the shoppers now turned into gawkers and formed a large human half circle around the reality TV show "come to life".
The Fun Fact That I learned after the cops arrived: When she called the cops on me She said I threatened to "kill her" That part- I did not know...... After 15 min [felt like 15 years] I was able to talk my way out of it- But it took a lot of effort and re explaining my position...the police were constantly challenging my version of events. At some point...I made my case and won their logic over.
You see these crime shows where an innocent man gets convicted and you think it happens once in a blue moon... I now think it happens every day. Not because of the police-the police were just "doing their job" But because of all the crazy people out there.
The cops pulled up to the scene ready to kick butt and take names later. Our town is fairly small with not that much going on...so by the reaction of all the cop cars...this was a big event in their day. They were there to earn their pay... I could feel they were itching to have something to talk about and almost disappointed that I was able to make a clear and logical argument on why I would not make such a statement. I could almost see their wheels spinning in their mind "Damn- he's right...why would he do that?- Its the lady"
Ultimately I ended up joking with the police about "some people" But I had to use every verbal persuasion tool I had in my bag of tricks.... When I replay the ladies "smirk" in my mind- I now see it as something cold and caulculating. I feel like its not the first time she did this..its her little "power trip" Her little "drama of the day" I do know this: I know I am really changed from the whole experience... "Guilty until you prove yourself innocent" is something I lived yesterday its not fun at all..... Moral of my story: Watch what you in say in public and how you say it- even to people who are totally in "the wrong".
Some people are hell bent on making your good day- their bad day.
In our line of work we are out "All the time" and therfore have a higher chance of these kinds of "encounters" So thats why I'm sharing here with you.
Food for thought.;)
Have a good one ....
Mike Jackman
www.GoToMyVideo.com
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