And Then He Was Caught And Arrested… Right?
I was leaving a local hardware store, ready to pack my car with my purchases, when a man came up and started unloading my stuff into my car.
Me: “Oh, I’ve got it, thanks.”
He says nothing but keeps unloading.
Me: “Do you want the cart?”
Still no response.
Me: *I pull my cart away from his reach.* “What are you doing?”
Man: “I helped you. I have no food money.”
He holds his hand out.
Me: “I don’t carry cash, sorry. I—”
He kicks the cart into my car.
Man: “B****!”
I pull out my pepper spray key chain.
Me: “Get the f*** away from me.”
The man starts to leave with the cart but turns back a few feet away and pushes it toward me with all his might. I catch it before it hits my car again. I did file a police report, but the store cameras didn’t catch anything useful (of course) so it went nowhere.
The very next day, I’m coming out of a convenience store a few blocks away with a bag of chips and an energy drink in a grocery bag. I open my passenger door to put them in, and who should appear to “help me” but the man from the hardware store. He tries to take my bag from my hand, but I grab his wrist with one hand and point my pepper spray with the other. He backs away immediately.
Man: “Assault!”
He looks me up and down.
Man: “Oh. You’re that c*** from yesterday! You still owe me!”
Me: “I owe you nothing, you piece of s***. F*** off!”
He backs away, shielding his eyes. I called the police again and told them I’d just had another run-in with him.
This time, the cameras were useful, and he was identified. He turned out to be a local man who often pretended he was homeless/down on his luck/mentally handicapped/mute/whatever to prey on solo women in parking lots. He would help them and then give a sob story about how he needed money for food or gas or a bottle of water or whatever it was.
