Today, while having a late, working lunch in a quiet corner of a buffet restaurant, I paid little attention to the guy who walked past me to the restrooms. A few minutes later, he comes back and sits down across from me, at my table.
Him: Nice computer. Do you know where I can get one of those, cheap?
Me: I got this one out of the pawn shop, down the street.
Him: What did you pay for it?
Me: About $100. It did not work, so I got it for less than the labeled price.
He sits there, as I continue working on an e-mail to a client and starts eating the chips on the table. Adds salt to them. Then waives over the waitress, ordering a drink for himself.
Me: Is there something else I can help you with?
Him: Yeah. You can give me that laptop.
Me: I asked help you with, not give you. If you will please excuse me, I am working and trying to get my lunch in, at the same time.
Him: Look. It’s my kids birthday. I need to give her a good gift. Her step father is rich and I can’t compete with that. So, just give me the laptop and you won’t get hurt. Understand?
Me: No. I don’t understand. I don’t want to understand. I don’t want you sitting at my table, interrupting my lunch or my work with your stories about needing a gift for your daughter.
Him: Well, I’m here, so get over it. And give me that f*&^*(& computer.
Me: Or what? You are going to hurt me for it? In a restaurant full of people?
Him: I don’t care about them. They won’t say anything, or I will hurt them, too! Now give it to me!
Me: Nope. Thanks anyway. Please, go away.
He then started getting loud and calling me names and so on. So much so, two men from another table came over, flashed badges and asked what is going on. He stood up, then tried to push his way past the officers. Then he struggled and tried to run. They put him in their car. One stayed with him, the other came back in to ask what had happened. I told him. Then I wrote it up and sent it to him, as an e-mail.
After the detective left, a woman came over and sat down.
Me: <Sigh> Can I help you?
Her: I just wanted to thank you. He is a bad man. A bad influence on my kids. Dd they say how long they will hold him?
Me: No, they did not tell me anything about that. Just took my statement and left with him.
Her: Thank you.
Me: No problem. Maybe, while he is locked up, today. I doubt he can get out by morning. You might try running. Get out of town. Go somewhere else and don’t let anyone know where for at least a couple of months. Check with your church. They may be able to help you get started somewhere else.
Her: I will. Thank you!
Me: Good luck to you.
Thinking to myself I ask: “What could have happened if I had just gone to the freaking library, like I started to do?”