This post is not going to be funny, and is not fun for me to write, but I feel the need to use myself as an example for all you mothers out there.
Last night I went shopping with my kids. I left the store at 8:00pm and walked to the car with the two kids and several packages. As I was digging for my keys in the dark parking lot, a young man walked by us and made eye contact with me, but kept walking. I got an uneasy feeling, but chose to ignore it. The kids were whining because it was so chilly outside, so I put them in the car, started it, and turned the heat on. Then I decided to take the cart back up to the store. I didn't think this was a big deal since I was parked in the very closest parking spot to the store. I had Owen sit in the front seat and told him to lock the doors and not unlock them until I got back.
As I walked back up to the store, I saw the same guy sitting on the wall in front of the store. As soon as I reached the door to put the cart inside, he stood up and put his hood over his head and started for my car. I turned to follow him, thinking he couldn't possibly REALLY be headed for my car, but playing it "safe" either way. When I realized he was indeed going straight for my car, I sped up and started yelling at him. He walked right up to the driver's door (where my son's face was on the other side of the window) and pulled on the handle a couple of times. When he realized it was locked, he just walked off in the other direction like it was no big deal. This whole time, I was screaming at him (while dialing 911) and said "What the hell are you doing?! Were you just going to drive off with my kids in the car?!" to which he replied "My bad" and then flipped me off.
That's right. He said "My bad" about attempted car theft and kidnapping. I am so angry. There are people out there who treat these serious crimes as no big deal, and they are just waiting for someone like me to be careless. I am sharing this experience because I know there are so many moms out there who do the same thing I did (in one form or another). I, for one, will never again feel guilty about leaving my shopping cart in the middle of the parking lot. Do not leave your kids unattended for even a second. Who knows what could have happened? Maybe he just wanted something as simple as my purse, but the ideas of what could have happened....what I could have lost...are tearing me up. I can't stop thinking about it, and I have a feeling I will be shaken up for a while.
I was able to give an extremely accurate description, since I had been so close to him and walked by him twice, but the police never found him. The kids are fine. Owen was definitely scared last night and kept saying "That guy was trying to take us," but I think he has pretty much forgotten about it this morning. Thankfully, I think Hazel was pretty oblivious the whole time.
I told Owen how proud I was of him for obeying and keeping the door locked and that I was so glad he was safe. Maybe, if nothing else, this will be an experience that will teach me and my kids about the dangers that are out there, and they will heed my warnings a little more carefully.
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20 comments:
Good for you for yelling. I would have thought that would have deterred him. And giving you a "my bad"? As in . . oops, I almost stole your car and kids? Unbelievable!
Scary.
Oh man...I'm so glad that you and the kids are okay. I'm really proud of Owen, too, that he obeyed. There are people that always make me feel like I'm being over protective or paranoid about me and my kids' safety, but this just proves that you can never be too safe. Way to go Lindsey for being a good mom and telling your kids to lock the door.
You are so brave and I thank you for sharing this story. I always feel like a loser when I don't take my cart back to the rack but I won't anymore. My girl's safety is so much more important than being a good samaritan.
Thanks for the reality check!!!
I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I'm shaking just reading about it. You know we've had our "wake up call" experience too, and yet it never ceases to amaze me at just how many crazies are out there. So glad you and the kids are ok! Big hugs!
I love you and I love your kids. So glad you're all safe.
OMG that is so scary Linz. I"m so sorry that happened to you, but glad you did everything beforehand to prevent with Owen's instrucs and the doors. Definitely a good lesson.
That is so scary. Thank heavens everything is ok. I hate it when creeps like like get away. A few weeks ago, my sister Kristen was mugged in a Kroger parking lot. The guy wlked up asking her if she needed help then grabbed for her pusre. She fell to the ground but kept holding on to the purse. He ended up dragging her a little ways, kicked her shoulder, when she finally gave up the purse and he ran off. The paramedics came and cleaned up her scrapes. She went to the police station but could not 100% identify a picture. They guy spent a bunch of money on her credit cards, all of which she got back. Anyhow, it is just crazy that things like that have recently happend to 2 people I know. It is so scary that the guy would have goten into your car with kids in there. I just can not imagine what kind of aperson it takes to do somehting like that. I seriously want a gun and to get a concealed weapons permit. There are some serious crazies out there. Glad you guys are ok, although probably a bit shaken up.
Oh my gosh! That is so scary. I am glad everyone is ok.
that's terrifying. I'm so glad you are all safe.
Dear Lindsey et al:
I am an old Mother. All you young Mothers really can and should take the opportunity to teach your children a variety of safety & avoidance techniques on a regular basis, so they receive it as routine and becomes an ingrained part of their personal security. They will not be traumatized or unduly alarmed. They will instead be informed, and better still, confident they will have options available to them should an emergency arise.
Pretty soon your son will be in Cubs, then in Scouts; he will be learning lots of these things then as part of a merit badge. Why wait? Today's climate requires you to boldly address safety issues to your little children now, while they are very young.
Here is a great man (former police officer and child safety expert) who is a wonderful advocate for teaching children these skills w/o making them paranoid. His techniques are totally common sense, and totally effective. Many schools and other children's advocacy groups have adopted his suggestions:
http://www.bobstuber.com/abduction.htm
Here is another site that quickly lists easily-taught reactions to various safety threats, several of which are from Mr. Stuber above:
http://wappingersschools.org/Plains/PTA/newsletter/fpnews_200312_page3.pdf
And lastly, your son was very brave, and so were you. I have been in threatening situations over the where I remained silent; you were not. You have taught your children to strictly obey you, and this is the first step in keeping them safe. You did great!
I'm so glad you guys are okay.
I used to study during lunch while working at a law firm in GA. I would go to the church parking lot because I knew no one would be there during the week during the day and that it would be quiet there (we didn't have a break room in the office and if I stayed there people would bug me and make me work..haha.) So anyway...I was sitting there studying and some guy knocks on my window. I saw him watching me for a while before that. I rolled down the window just a crack and he told me that he would give me a dollar if I drove him to Walmart. I told him I had to get back to work and just hurried and drove off. Didn't feel like getting raped. It scared the crap out of me. It scared me that some people might be fooled by the guy.
Also, I worked at another firm where I would walk to the courthouse just about every day and there was this bum that asked me for money one time and he used to follow me everywhere and it would creep me out. He kept asking where I worked and I wouldn't tell him. I was afraid he would find out one day and come hurt me because I worked alone sometimes. It was just one attorney and me and one other paralegal and sometimes they were both out to lunch. Luckily, nothing ever happened.
Oh and in college I worked in the basement of one of the buildings answering the university phone lines and this one guy said he really liked my voice. Next thing I knew someone at work one time was saying that there was someone there to visit me and it was the guy that liked my voice on the phone. Really strange. I was afraid he would come visit when I was the only one working because a lot of times I was practically the only one in the building and being in the basement was freaky. I'd get off really late at night and would have to walk quite a ways to my car. I just thought it was really creepy for him to find out where my job was located and come see me because he liked my voice..my job was kind of hidden and not many people knew where it was.
Anyway..enough of that. I just freaked myself out again.
Here are some tips:
I went to a seminar one time about safety and they said to always unload all your groceries and then put your kids in very last because most the time the criminal wants the car and not the kids. They said even though it's a pain, to just keep your kids outside with you and then hurry and lock the doors and drive off right when you get in incase someone comes up to your car.
Also, if someone tries to attack you and tells you they have a gun and to stay put, don't listen. Run as fast as you can. Even if they have a gun, don't listen to what they say, just run because it's really hard for them to aim and get you when you are running. If you think about it, if they really are going to kill you anyway...might as well try and run because once they have a hold of you, it's all downhill from there and they will end up killing you later on.
If you had no chance to run and they already have a hold of you, fall to the floor, because they don't want to mess with trying to drag you along to where they want to take you.
Again, I'm so glad you guys are okay. That's totally cool that you yelled at the idiot.
That is so creepy! I can't believe something like that could happen! I'm so glad you and your kids are okay! I always try to put my grocery cart back, but after that I will never do it again when I have Will or when I am without Grant, I guess I can look at it as job security for someone. We miss seeing you too!
i would've chased the [insert most vulgar of expletives here] down and tried to beat the living daylights out of him. but i don't have kids and i'm slightly irrational...
you're a great mom linds. i think it everytime you tell stories about the kids.
Oh my gosh, linds! That's terrifying! I always leave the cart in the parking lot somewhere, mostly out of laziness, but that totally freaks me out. there's nothing more scary in this world that one of your kids being kidnapped. sounds like you scared him off pretty good- im proud of you!
hey girl... can't stop thinking of this now... just want you to know how glad i am that yall are all ok. i hope they catch the bastard.
I'm so scared right now...only b/c I left my kids (all 3) while I put my cart away at Costco today...I never tell them to lock the doors- that was a great idea. I will never put my cart away again. And, I'm a regular wal-mart shopper- where all the crazies seem to hang out. I'm totally not surprised this happened at wal-mart. I cannot believe this happened to you.
I remember I was at Huckaby's once when I was in college and I was waiting in the car (driver's seat) while a couple of my family members were inside and a nasty white van pulled up next to us and a monster black guy got out of it and walked right up to my window, knocked on it, and tried to open the door with this sexual predator smile on his face the whole time. Of course I didn't open the door, but he was pretty persistent and thankfully walked away eventually. Scary! I hate evil people. I will never, ever leave my kids in the car alone again. Its even more scary having girls b/c they are so much more prone to the evil whims of crazy men! Ugh.
I am glad you and the kiddos are okay. I am glad you recognized the scary man ahead of time. You're blessed. -jess
WOW! I cannot believe that really happened. Mere was over on Sunday night for dinner and she told us the story. Thanks for the cautionary tale. For real, because I do that all the time. But after I heard your story I was al Wal-mart and I proudly left my cart out. My children are more important than the faces that people will give you or not returning your cart. And they do. Thanks for sharing and I am so sorry for that horrific experience!
This is so scary. I'm just glad you are all ok. It makes me mad that we can't go to the store without the fear of something like this happening. I used to go to WalMart all the time at night when I lived in College Station. I won't be doing that anymore. Thank God Owen listened and Thank God Hazel is none the wiser.
Wow, that is scary! I'm glad you followed your instincts, and that your family is okay.
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