After I got off work tonight I went next door to Advance Auto Parts to buy an air-filter for my car. The guy who helped me was really nice, then found the part for me and everything and installed it. Afterwards, I went home got out of my work clothes and then went to Hollywood Video to drop some movies off. On my way to Hollywood Video I saw a police car in the Advance Auto Parts parking lot. Didn't think much of it--thought some one was getting a ticket. . . . On my way back from Hollywood Video, I called my friend to score some yummy-yumm (if you know what i mean). He works at Domino's as well. Well he didn't have any yumm on him, but he did ask me if I heard about what happen at Advance. I told him no, and he proceeded to tell me the manager got shot. (This was within the 20 minutes of me leaving the store and heading home from hollywood video) So then, I was all hysterical, went to where my mom was (the country club --dancing), and I went in there and just nearly had a heart attack--If I had gone to advance auto just 5 minutes later--hell--I coulda got shot---I could even be dead. . .Why not me????? Ya know?? So, for a while I was just totally going crazy, I thought the nice manager could be dead. Finally, a little while later Louie called me and told me that the manager did NOT get shot, but the store DID get robbed by two 17 year olds (about 5-10 min after I left). And the two kids had guns are WERE trying to shoot the people in there...shots WERE fired....LUCKILY THE KIDS GOT CAUGHT I am just soo happy I was not there when it happened, and I was so happy when I found out no one was hurt. I mean, I was crying my eyes out....I just don't know what twist of fate made it be that I wasn't there only 10 min later.....who knows what could have happened then ya know. But basically my point is that I love all of you, and always be on your toes, theres a LOT of crazies out there. Peace. I am happy I am alive. Happy the people at the store are alive. (This day had definitely changed me. Probably for the better AND the worst if that makes sense. Now, I am going to be a lot more wary, but at the same time, I am going to be more thankful for everyday. . . ) Why do people choose to be so violent? It's so awful and sad. Man, the world is a scary place. But so wonderful at the same time...
Who the hell robs an auto parts store???? They couldn't have been very bright. Of course, if they HAD been bright, they wouldn't be robbing stores in the first place....
I'm glad you're okay. I'm also glad the nice manager guy is okay. About this "changing you"... Yes. It probably will, in both the ways that you mentioned. The way I see it, MOST people go around day-to-day NOT realizing that the world does have its crazy, nasty shit go on. The weird thing is, when it confronts them and shit suddenly happens to them, they wake up to it and realize then that it's been going on all the time before they realized it -- and that the world didn't suddenly change and get violent, but it always was violent and they were just not aware of it. It is NOT a BAD thing to make this realization. What happens is that you now have an added awareness that counts toward being a survival instinct! Now it's up to you to either protect and prepare yourself for things that could happen, or decide to go about life as oblivious as before. The thing is, you've now had "fair warning" about what bad things can happen. Some people respond to this realization that the tendrils of evil in the world can creep into their lives by opting to avail themselves of the means of protection. For some, that's a pathetic little can of Mace on a keychain -- which they'll never practice using, and cannot even be certain will stop an attacker (much less that they can get to it in time once an attack has begun). For some, that's taking some class on how to knee an attacker in the gonads (like they need a class for that). For some, that's full-on martial arts training (which really won't do you any good against a guy armed with even a knife, unless you're a world-class practitioner, and don't let anyone kid you about that). For some, it's getting a permit and a handgun and learning how to use it, and carrying it for protection. Of all, the handgun is the most effective tool for use in fighting back against being a victim. Don't believe the crap about how "the rapist will just take it from you and use it against you." Why is a gun a useful thing when it's in the hands of an attacker, but useless in your hands?? No, it's very useful to the good person who needs it to defend against the bad person. You just have to be very aware of what it can and can't do, and when you can and can't use it. And you have to have knowledge, training, and practice in its use. It's something to think about. We live in dangerous times. Yes, the world has its many wonderful aspects. The thing is, if we pretend that it doesn't have evil awful aspects as well, we set ourselves up to be blindsided by them because we wilfully ignored them and failed to prepare. If you want to stick around to maximize your enjoyment of the good stuff, you don't let yourself pretend that there's no bad stuff. If you stop pretending that, you can begin to ensure that you won't fall victim to it. And even then, there are no guarantees. -Jeffrey
I had something kind of like this happen. When i was 14 i was drinking at the park with some friends, it ended getting really late so i decided to go home ,the others were going for a joy ride. They ended up flipping that car that night and my friend Micheal died in the wreak. It was a very sad time. I lost a buddy but also it could had been me in the car! I was also happy that i didnt have to witness a friend dying that forever changed the people that were in that car! Anyways im happy your ok and so is the dude that works there. Go by there and bring them flowers. Tell the guy your happy everyone is ok, and count your blessings you were not there. That would had been scary.
I often wonder the same about the point of violence. There's so much of it going on all the time. On new years my friend got jumped for no reason (literally...I was there..never seen the kids before in his life. They were bored i guess), there are fights weekly at least in my school. Actually there was one right outside my gym class on wednesday. 2 gym teachers had to pin down the guys until the security guards came. There was blood all over the floor. It becomes incresingly normal in my mind, but it sucks none the less
i'm glad you and the auto part worker are alright, and wish that you dont' have to go through any of this again. take care... i know that some of the auto part stores around where i live do a lot of business in 1 day, so the store may have been holding a lot of money. also, nobody expects a auto part store to be rob...they expect a convenience store, gas station, a bank, etc...but not a auto part store...but yes, they are very stupid indeed. are you serious? martial arts training won't do any good against a guy with a knife? please. you get any training in martial arts and your serious about learning it, you most likely won't have a problem with a guy with a knife. one, most people that wield a knife don't know how to hold it correctly to even fight; two, the person will most likely not know how to use the knife properly when trying to stab, slash or slice the victim. and you don't have to be some world-class practictioner to be able to defend against some idiot with a knife. my sister has been attacked from a guy wielding a knife, she beat the shit out of him...she doessn't take any MA training...its not that hard when the person with the knife has no fucking clue how to use it.
That's some scary, scary stuff. I'm glad everyone is alright though. With so much violence out there, it something like that could happen anytime-be on the look out!
Wow! This is a bit wierd to be in that same store a few minutes earlier. Thank God that you left when you did........ ~namaste~
did you go to the police? they'll probably want a statem,ent regardless of whether you think you saw something that would help the investigation or not. seriously go to the police and give a statement.
