Thinking Straight in a Stressful Situation!

This post and story of what happened to me was inspired by Robyn at Thrifty Miss Prissy (see my favorite blogs) and what happened to her.

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When my children were very young, Joy was an infant and Emily was almost 3, I was going to meet a friend and her small son at McDonald's for lunch. I arrived early, so instead of just sitting there, I decided to go across the street to a grocery store and get a few things I needed.

I was lucky enough to get a parking spot that faced the front of the store. I got out and walked around the car to open the door and get both of my daughters out of their car seats. As I was bent down in the car, I literaly heard a voice say to me, "Look up and be aware of what is going on around you!" I did not hear this very loud and clear voice with my ears. I heard it come up from inside of me - yet I know it was not me. I will swear on a stack of Bibles that this is EXACTLY TRUE!

I immediately stood straight up and looked around. Parked 3 cars over was a man sitting in the drivers seat of a truck starring at me with an eerie grin on his face. The rhythmic motion and the position of his hands gave me enough clues as to what he was doing ...if you know what I mean! I was very scared. It is one thing to realized that woman are easily overpowered by men, but it is another to realize just how venerable you are when you have 2 small children to protect!!

I quickly went into the store and asked to speak to the manager. When he appeared I told (as embarrassing as that was!) him what was going on and he walked outside with me. He could see for himself what I was saying was true and he told me there was nothing he could do because the man was in the parking lot and not inside the store. Then he just walked away from me! Can you believe it???

I returned to the inside of the store about as frazzled as I could be and decided that I would go ahead and buy the things I needed and hopefully the man in the parking lot would be gone by then. It took me about 20 minutes to slowly mill through the store and get checked out. As I exited the door, I made eye contact once again with my predator.

I decided that since my next stop was just across the street, I should continue on. I strapped my girls back into their seats, walked around my car, got in, locked all the doors, started the engine, put the gear into reverse and turned around to see behind me. There he was! He had backed his car out of his space and driven around the lot and was waiting there for me to leave, presumably so that he could follow me. I pulled back into my parking spot and just set there. A moment later, another car pulled up behind this man and honked for him to move. The minute he pulled past me, followed by the other car, I pulled out and quickly speed across the street to the restaurant. My friend was already there and as I told her the story, we went out onto the playground. I could see this predator, who was now very angry, speeding and circling the parking lot looking for me. He stopped and parked. I just stood in the McDonald's playground area and watched. Sadly what I saw may have been my salvation and the possible assault or even rape of another woman. You see - it was not long before a lovely young lady came out of the store and jumped into her car and this man followed her out the parking lot.

Did I remember to try and get his license plate number? - No, sadly I did not.

Did I disregard what the grocery store manager said - even though I knew he was wrong and just call the police myself? No, I did not.

Did I later call the police, just to give them the information I had seen, after all, I probably could have identified the man? No. I even talked myself out of that as well.

To this day - I pray that that young lady was not harmed and God was watching over her as He was my daughters and I that day.