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Scary time at the mall in Memphis

3K views 25 replies 21 participants last post by  Mighty HD 
#1 · (Edited)
Was at the "old" mall in Memphis/Whitehaven, and taking back a vacuum cleaner to Sears that broke 2 weeks after buying it. Not an area I like going to, even if it was noon. Was on high alert (I thought), but my back window is tinted. As I quickly leaned into the back seat of my F-150 Crew cab to get the box for the vacuum (too lazy to disassemble it, so the upright vacuum was one item, the box and contents another), I lean back out to check my situation, and see that a car has pulled up perpendicular to the rear of my truck, effectively cutting me off from egress. To make things much worse, a very large guy (I'd say 6'6", 400, b/c I'm 6'5" and 255 and this guy made me look small) had already exited the passenger side and was at the back bumper of my truck. Female driver of the car, tinted windows, unable to see any other occupants. Now, with me standing by the open rear door of the driver's side of my truck, and the car parked next to me, I was in a hole, and immediately in condition orange, cursing myself for getting into this mess. Didn't take over 10 seconds to get there, and I really believe much less. I put on my gameface, scanning his hands first, then the waistline (T-shirt, oversized, baggy pants). He was WAY too close to me. I told him to back up a few feet, that I was not comfortable with him being so close to me. I put the vacuum between us on the ground about 3 feet in front of me (halfway between us) as he began to speak, scanned behind me, then stepped toward him enough to close the truck door. I looked again around my truck, continued to scan and adopted a strong stance; listened to him tell me about being in town from the Texas hurricane, no money, etc. Told him about my church and that they are getting all my donations for such folks, and that he can call them. He tried to talk around it to get money, but I "circle talked" him, and he eventually seemed to back off. He kept looking at me kinda funny, and looking at my right front pocket. After the incident, I realized he was seeing my Buckmark Sidewinder clip sticking out. Condition orange plan: with front foot, kick vacuum toward him on first movement to confuse any plan he might have pre-formulated, retrograde as I untuck and present, and give verbal instructions to stop.

As it turned out, he follows me into the mall, and peels off talking to someone else as we enter. Got me pretty hyped up, pretty fast....
 
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#3 ·
Things happen fast like that. Although we try and avoid situations like that, we can all get into a predicament in the blink of an eye. Some people have no concept about violating others' space or advancing towards folks with determination even with no ill intent. Good thing your spidey senses were activated. Glad things turned out okay.
 
#5 ·
The odds were certainly stacked on that one. I think your plan was a good one, luckily you didn't have to test it out.

This is one more example of pulling forward to park, facing out. This would put the door in between you and the isle.

Glad it worked out and all you got was a rush and something to think about.
 
#7 ·
Have read it, Mighty HD, and they're on the money. Funny how the leadership refuses to lead when it goes against the voting block that put them in power.

Thanks for the input, guys. Scared the poo outta me, after the fact. During the encounter, I remained very calm and made sure to look him in the eye. I'm not so sure that my demeanor didn't make him hesitate, as much as anything, b/c I just didn't let myself get flighty...
 
#9 ·
Southland mall is not the greatest place to shop. There is a permanent cop car stationed infront of the mall entrance and sometimes they move it near that last store far east. Cant tell which store that is but the car is always there. There is a reason Sears closed the West doors and painted them black.
 
#10 ·
Yeah, I don't let my wife (who, for whatever reason, loves Sears) go there without me, and I'm always on alert when there. Now, even moreso.

On a side note, it literally took over 90 minutes for me to get that stupid vacuum exchanged, not including my experience in the parking lot. They didn't have anyone to authorize, they couldn't find another model just like it, the walkie talkie battery was dead, the girl was new... Oy.
 
#11 ·
All too often people will blow off a situation like that and even say, "what's the big deal, he was only asking for help".

I think you handled it well taking command of the situation. :hand10:
 
#12 ·
Dude..It's impossible for him to move that fast... 6'6", 400



:rofl:Dude..It's impossible for him to move that fast... 6'6", 400:rofl: Just kidding ...Glad you are safe!!! I was in that area this weekend ...If he was from TX he should have known not to invade someone's personal space...
 
#13 ·
yea, i had a similar experience from a guy that fit that same description. exept he was limping and told me he was an ex-boxer, lol he even felt the need to re-assure me that i didnt need to be scared! i guess he mistook my posture (turned sideways with my piece out of his view) for me being affraid. i made sure i told him i had nothing to fear and that i cant afford to be giving away my HARD EARNED cash!
 
#16 ·
I think we all have had a time or two like that... and actually prob some we didn't even know about, which is spookie too. Glad things worked out as well as they did.
 
#18 ·
Sounds to me like you handled the situation just fine. I hadn't thought about it in a long while but I was approached leaving work one day in downtown Nashville. Like your situation, the guy kept eyeballing my right front pocket while he talked. I told him I was broke and continued on toward the parking garage. It wasn't until I sat down in my car that I realized he was staring at the Benchmade clipped to my pocket... LOL, that was a small gent's folder, he had no idea of the larger Benchmade I had clipped IWB for just such contingencies.

Anyway, I'll give ya' an " 'Attaboy" for handling the situation as well as you did.
Jack
 
#19 ·
Most of these folks are "harmless" con-artist and who knows if this guy was or not but better to put them out and say nope sorry cant do it then waste your money or your life.

These people think nobody knows their sob story game. We use to have one a month show up at the fire house claiming their house burned down (dont you think the FD would know) or that their brother/sister/cousin/dad is a FF in Wherever and "got really seriously hurt and is in the hospital not expected to live and they trying to get money to go see him." Did these ppl think we were stupid and don't know when other FFS get seriously hurt across the country? Heck i get emails on this world wide. 3 Months later same person different story.

They try to find what they hope will work for a quick $20 score.

Still, Well Played
 
#21 ·
I keep them away before they ever get close enough to 'give me the story'. I use a loud unfriendly voice along with my presence...they just think I'm a crazy man...that's OK with me.

Stay armed...do not befriend strangers...stay safe!
 
#22 ·
Speaking of sob stories from panhandlers and the such...
3 years ago, I was approached by a lady in the parking lot of a Best Buy. She gave me a story that she was abused by her husband and was staying at a woman's shelter, had nothing to her name, and was trying to make ends meet. She was selling little pouches of potpourri with a big acrylic heart bead on them. My wife felt sorry for her and gave her 3 bucks for the pouch. My wife went inside the store while I walked back to the car to toss it in. The lady, now out of pouches, walked over to a Lexus. I detoured and walked around the aisle to see what was going on. She sat down, pulled out a cellphone and started talking. In the passenger seat was a man eating Wendy's and talking to her. He leaned over, gave her a kiss and sent her back out.
I told my wife about it, and she chalked it up to a friend.

1 year ago, I'm at Best Buy... Same lady walks up to me...same sob story. I ask her which woman's shelter...1 minute of stuttering and stalling..."it's down the street in Hollywood." "Whats the name of it?".... 1 minute of stalling..."I just got there yesterday...I don't remember."
I ask her if she has been there before..."No, I just left my husband" I glance around looking for a Lexus, and two lanes over, I see one. "Just left him, as in, he's in the Lexus over there?"... she stuttered so hard I thought it would register on the Richter Scale... finally the disheveled facade drops and she just plain says "Are you going to buy one or not?"... I walked off, went to the manager and told him. He says they have chased her off every day, so I talked to my friend in Loss Prevention and told him to serve her with a no trespass. He called the local PD and when they walked up to the car to serve them, the "husband" had 7 warrants and she had 3...
 
#24 ·
You did GOOD!! These things happen fast ! A SMALL dose of paranoia isn't so bad nowadays!!
 
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