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Strange day. Paranoia??

7K views 69 replies 44 participants last post by  kelcarry 
#1 ·
It was 6:47 this morning and I had just arrived to work (accounting), parking as I usually did in the multi floor garage. I am typically one of the first people to arrive so I found it odd that a car pulled in a few spots down from me. Red, two-door coupe with tinted windows. As I stepped out of my car (with my Glock IWB strong-side) I immediately checked my 1,4,8, and 11 o'clock and slowly began to walk towards the building entrance making sure to give direct eye-contact and clear my throat very loud to make sure the shady character in the red sedan knew that I knew that they were there. As the door opened to said sedan, a woman, 5'10 dressed in a pinstripe skirt and white blouse stepped out of her car. The strange detail that upped my alert to orange-red was the fact that she was carrying a messenger bag that was clearly made for a man. As I got closer (she had parked between my car and the entrance) she looked at me and said, "Good morning", to which I held out my hand as to let her know not to approach any closer and said "GOOD MORNING!" politely but loud and firm enough that she knew that I wasn't going to be a victim. Her smile faded and she looked somewhat confused. As I continued to the entrance (about 20 yards from where I park), I could hear her high-heeled footsteps behind me. This made me extremely nervous so I pulled out my cell phone (left side pant pocket) and pretended that I was receiving a phone call, "YES DETECTIVE?" I said loudly, stopped walking and veered to the left without ever dropping my SA until the woman passed me. As she passed, she was looking straight ahead towards the entrance of the building as I never stopped looking right at her intently with my right hand resting slightly on the butt of my Glock 26 holding my breath. After she was about 20 feet ahead (at this point she was walking with urgency), I exhaled a sigh of relief and continued on.
After the entire morning at my desk replaying the encounter over and over again at work, I began to think about the WRONG things I did in that situation:

1) I should have never exited the car before checking my surroundings and waiting for the person in the red car to exit first, making careful detailed notes on description, facial features, and other key distinguishable traits the shady person may have had

2) NEVER should I have let the shady character get into my 6 o'clock. I should have immediately turned around confidently and continued to make contact until said person passed making sure she knew that I was gathering information that I may need for the authorities.

When i got home that evening, I went straight to the garage and practiced my draw and SHOUT techniques as well as my roll and aim drills and made myself a promise that I would never ever be caught off-guard again.

Thoughts about how I should have handled it?
 
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#4 ·
Darned accountants are always in the office early.

I wouldn't expect a pin-stripe skirt, high heels and white blouse on a perp at 6:45 AM, and a lot of executive women carry man bags. Having said that, you analyzed it pretty well. Next time stay in your car.

You probably freaked her out a bit. :rofl: Relax a bit too. DFW is full of freaks, but not many dressed like you described. She's probably in accounting too, or tax.
 
#5 ·
Do you always get this nervous around women? Just kidding.

Women can be very tricky to read. "Good morning" is usually an indication that they're up to no good. Watch out for those fast walkers that appear to be late...it's a cover-up for something much more sinister especially carrying a mans messenger bag. My only advice would be next time pull out your cell phone and say, in a commanding voice..."Good morning Mr. President we got the garage area under full surveillance as of right now". That should spoil her devious plan.
 
#20 ·
Do you always get this nervous around women? Just kidding.

Women can be very tricky to read. "Good morning" is usually an indication that they're up to no good. Watch out for those fast walkers that appear to be late...it's a cover-up for something much more sinister especially carrying a mans messenger bag. My only advice would be next time pull out your cell phone and say, in a commanding voice..."Good morning Mr. President we got the garage area under full surveillance as of right now". That should spoil her devious plan.
I disagree on the good morning....I would think it is an indication the the woman was just a paranoid as he was. It was a way for her to "read" his temperament....IMO.
 
#6 ·
have a talk with yourself re prepared vs paranoid

you sound new to CCW and have done a fair amount of background work.
now you need to intregate the written word with the world in real time.

try to let your SA catch up to your ability to deal with information by moving a bit slower and in a delibrate fashion.

stay well...
 
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#7 ·
I'm thinking a little bit on the excited side maybe. I can see having SA up a bit but going home and practicing draw and shout, roll and aim drills just because someone said good morning to you just seems a bit over the top to me. I think I'd be more inclined to practice my people skills instead.

Relax and enjoy life a bit.
 
#12 ·
Two words: Fatal Attraction :hand5:

Just relax a bit, and realize a lot of teasing goes on around here. :35: You did fine, even for an accountant. :rofl: I am an accountant too, BTW. :smile:

Anyway, welcome to the Forum! Enjoy!
 
#14 ·
"That woman" was actually an FBI agent in their white-collar crimes division, specializing in forensic accounting. The first email she sent out this morning went like this: "You wouldn't believe what happened to me this morning. I made sure to get to the building where I had my appointment plenty early so no one could say I was interrupting them. At 6:48, just as I was getting ready to get out of my car, this other guy pulls up and parks just past me. When I stepped out of my car, I saw him look all around him, which made me pretty suspicious. Then he tried to make eye contact, but I refused to do the same, and that's when he really gave me the stink-eye. He was dressed professionally, but so was Gotti's accountant when we took him down, remember? I kept one hand real close to the flap on my courier bag in case I needed to grab my Glock. Then when I was walking toward the door, he whips out his cell phone and makes like he's talking to a cop. Seems awfully fishy to me... so I want you to run his plate number, and let me know if anything turns up..."

Yep, my imagination is just as active as the OP's!
 
#17 ·
No offense but yes I'd say paranoia imho. Relax you don't need to misread , over react and end up with a criminal charge. I'd go as far to recommend not carrying until you can think clearly. Sorry it sounds critical, just giving an honest opinion..
 
#43 ·
I'm sorry and if it wasn't for me pulling everybody's leg, I would totally agree with you. It was written as a mockery of some of the scenarios I've read on this forum that have me thinking just like you about how people react. My mistake was not letting everybody in on the joke sooner than now.

Cheers
 
#36 · (Edited)
So, a car chose to park is an area that you chose to park, which may be where she usually parks, just a different car? She was carrying a messenger bag in a dress and high heels? She said Good Morning with a smile? Then, she had the audacity to walk towards the same entrance as you? Good Lord, I would have smoked her just for parking near me, let alone for having the nerve to say hello, looking confused when I put up a defense and, the very worst part, walking to the very same entrance of the office building you chose to use… What are things coming to in this world when women start acting this way.

Get yourself to a defensive mindset class ASAP. This is the crap that got Zimmerman in trouble, in a roundabout way. Not everyone is a badguy just because we now have an additional tool to defend ourselves.

"Yes, Detective"?? This woman had to think you were insane. I bet she's on some forum right now posting about the weird dude she sad hello to that was afraid of her and even pretended to talk to a cop. This IS paranoia, at it's finest.



I hope to God this is the case!

If not, here's the way I see it… The OP had a choice, and what should have ended with him high-fiving some buddies, ended with him running away from a woman. My God man, you could have at least got an ego boost for the day instead of the reverse!
and not trying to be a jerk, but I'm actually embarrassed for you right now…. or laughing with you right now, I'm not sure!
 
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#22 · (Edited)
When i got home that evening, I went straight to the garage and practiced my draw and SHOUT techniques as well as my roll and aim drills and made myself a promise that I would never ever be caught off-guard again.
I'm not a believer.

I also want to give a shout out to the secret squirrel avatar pic. Nice!
 
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#23 · (Edited by Moderator)
I read the OP twice and started thinking. Maybe overly paranoid and then this thought came to mind. And I'd like to read other readers' thought about it. Who among us would notice an unfamiliar car near our own, with tinted windows, in a deserted parking garage and decide to carry on as usual? I think the least I would've done is move my car to a different level of the garage. More likely, I would've driven out of the garage and headed to a coffee/breakfast spot and returned later. Wouldn't have even waited for the driver to exit. Here's the thing. What if instead of some well dressed woman climbing out of the driver's seat, three knuckleheads climbed out? Assuming the story is true, I give the poster an A+ for situational awareness and an F for his response to the situation.
 
#24 ·
Later that day, as a young couple sits down for dinner...

"How'd it go honey?"

"Yea, so I found the head of the Accounting department for that company that was hiring, the jerk just completely blew me off in the garage. I was about to hand him my resume until he this look on his face like he was about to shoot me. At this rate, those student loans will never be paid off."
 
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#26 ·
This morning while retrieving the garbage can from the curb, I heard a rustle in the back yard bushes. There was no breeze, yet the bushes seemed to come to life on their own. Something just wasn't right. I tactically sidestepped toward the fence gate with the stealth of a cat. With the precision of a Swiss watch-maker, I used my tactical pen to ease up the latch, and finesse the gate open. The hairs on the back of my hand stood up, as hours of training from my CCW class were about to come into play. I nimbly 'sliced the pie' as I rounded the gate, and then I drew... my CC badge, and with my authority voice, commanded "STOP! DON'T!". There stood the perp, so terrified that he was peeing on the ground. Just giving me a blank, belligerent stare, daring me to do something. The perp looked remarkably like my dog, but I know better. Just then, my wife screamed "Don't shoot the dog, you moron!", giving just enough distraction to me for the perp to evade the scene.

It's tough working around civilians. Stay trained. Stay sharp.
 
#29 ·
I've been in situations that were not dangerous in any way but if anyone's motive around me was unpure it could have been dangerous. With that said....

I would have acted like I left something in my car to get her off my 6 O'clock rather than grabbing my cell phone.

and I would have struck up a conversation... "I've never seen you here before..." or "Usually i'm the first one here"

Having managed a banking center, engaging a criminal in conversation and making good strong eye contact will always throw off BG's.

With that said, replay this from her perspective, you probably seemed more suspicious to her that she did to you. Not saying Tight skirts and heels would never commit a crime, but a bit more unlikely. :) always stay alert.
 
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