Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. I look forward to the food and fellowship with friends and family. This time of year also reminds me of another incident that rates high on the memorable Thanksgivings. If you haven't heard about this, please read it as a warning as well as entertainment.
Excitement finds us. We can run, but we can't hide...
Last Saturday, my Aunt Judy (my Mom's twin sister) called to see if I wanted to go to Ardmore with her. She needed to go to Wal-Mart & pick up pecans at Oklahoma Pecan Co.(a GREAT place to visit if you haven't been, I got some awesome Pumpkin Butter & Cherry Butter). I didn't really need anything, but the boys and I like to eat at Ardmore. It was about time for lunch...so, we went.
Wal-Mart was the last stop on our list. We had already received a call from Becky (Judy's daughter-in-law). She said Wal-Mart was a nightmare, completely packed, every register open with 6 customers deep at each. Of course, we had to go anyway. I wasn't bothered, because I didn't have a list. I was just browsing, in no hurry. I ended up getting stuff to make wassail & almond bark-covered pretzels. Aunt Jude had a big list. She ended up calling me & saying she had already checked out & headed to the Suburban. I had the keys. So, she asked me to send the boys out with the keys. I sent them out. I, of course, picked the line with the slowest checker of all time.
When I finally got out to the suburban, Aunt Jude, Colt, and Rye were all inside. I opened the back of the suburban. It was full of sacks of pecans. I had to make room for my stuff. As I was complaining about this, Colt was getting out of the car to help me with my bags. As he did, he had to let a guy pass by before he could go ahead & get out. Colt noticed the guy had a pink, sparkley wallet/clutch. This was the first click. Second click, Colt looked at Mom's basket where she usually puts her pink, sparkley wallet/clutch. It wasn't there. Third click, he turns around to look at the guy walking away with the pink, sparkley wallet/clutch. The guys turns back to look & they make eye contact. Colt says, "Mom, that guy just took your purse." The guy then takes off running.
Now, if you might be wondering what went through my head at this point, I can't tell you. I just reacted. I said to Colt, "Come on, go after him." I wasn't scared & I wasn't angry. I was just going after my purse. I knew that I needed to attract attention. I was yelling "Police!" and "He took my purse!" and "Someone help me!" I kept yelling, "Help! He's got my purse!" This poor guy doesn't realize that I'm just as poor & desperate as he is.
We had to cross through 3 double-rows of parked cars to get to the get-away car. As I have noticed, most crime plans are not well thought out. This was not an exception, the person in the get-away car was in the passenger seat. Hello?
I remember thinking as we were running, "My legs aren't moving fast enough". I felt like I was moving in slow motion. Colt corrected me later when I told him about this. He said, "Mom, you were running FAST! You were running faster than me!" I guess so, I caught the guy. Maybe that poor thief was just slow. My favorite part of this whole story...I had on high heels...3-inch spikes actually. This picture's getting funnier all the time.
I do remember thinking, "I need to get his tag number. Just remember his tag number." This was all I expected to accomplish. I really didn't think that we would catch him. But, we did. The runner jumped in the driver's seat. He was in a farm truck...such a disgrace. It was white with a black flat-bed. They had a metal plate intentionally covering up their tag.
I followed him right up to the window. Now, get this...HE ROLLED HIS WINDOW DOWN! Are you kidding me?
I remember my Aunt Judy screaming "Somebody help her! He stole her purse!"
I said "Give me my purse." He was very flustered & stuttered, "I-I-I left it back there (pointing back). It's...It's...back there (pointing again)...under that car." I don't think I looked back where he was pointing. I just said a little louder, "Give me my purse back. NOW!"
Now, there was a slight pause, with our eyes locked. It seemed to be a moment of recognition. I don't know if he saw fire in my eyes or just no fear or if there was something deeper. Whatever it was, he reached down (this made Colt nervous, he was getting ready to defend his Mama.) He pulled my wallet up from between his seat & his door & handed it to me!
I backed away with Colten & the robbers started to back out & pull away. I looked around to see a few people nearby watching. My dear Aunt Judy was trying to pull the metal cover off the tag. She had to move, so he wouldn't hit her. She was screaming many explicitives after him. "You sorry, no-good, thievin' so & so" (That's the cleaned up version).
I, of course, called 911 & had to wait to give statements & answer questions. There was another man that was nearby & was able to give a statement & description. He was an onlooker, a witness. Colt said he was walking up, lighting a cigarette, while the excitement was going on. I was quite honestly surprised at the lack of help that we received. There were people all around, but they were just watching. Of course, who knows what they were thinking.
I found out, after the fact, that Aunt Jude had arrived at the farm truck shortly after us. She was at the passenger's side. The passenger had on a hoodie & was bent over with the hoodie pulled over him the entire time. Aunt Jude was beating on the window, yelling her alarming explicitives at the passenger. When the police went inside Wal-Mart to view the surveillance tape, I told Aunt Jude, "I hope that the video doesn't have audio on it."
Was chasing the guy a smart thing? Yes, to get a tag number & description. Was confronting him a smart move? Probably not, but I am very thankful it turned out like it did. No one was hurt & I got my wallet back. I can say honestly that I wasn't scared or angry at the time. I had a huge adrenaline rush, but that was just for the racing.
I have been reminded that there are many things more important that what was in my purse. I agree. I am thankful.
I told my family that those robbers could have gotten away with all our library cards. My mom said, "Can you imagine what they could have checked out from the library in your name?!" I can't...that scenario is just too disturbing to think about.
My family were all in agreement...they were thankful this poor guy got the new Julinda instead of the old one. They thought the old one might have dragged him out of the truck & beat him with her high heels.
I am thankful they recognize there is a "new" Julinda.
Julinda
P.S. Ladies...DO NOT leave your purses in your shopping baskets!
Excitement finds us. We can run, but we can't hide...
Last Saturday, my Aunt Judy (my Mom's twin sister) called to see if I wanted to go to Ardmore with her. She needed to go to Wal-Mart & pick up pecans at Oklahoma Pecan Co.(a GREAT place to visit if you haven't been, I got some awesome Pumpkin Butter & Cherry Butter). I didn't really need anything, but the boys and I like to eat at Ardmore. It was about time for lunch...so, we went.
Wal-Mart was the last stop on our list. We had already received a call from Becky (Judy's daughter-in-law). She said Wal-Mart was a nightmare, completely packed, every register open with 6 customers deep at each. Of course, we had to go anyway. I wasn't bothered, because I didn't have a list. I was just browsing, in no hurry. I ended up getting stuff to make wassail & almond bark-covered pretzels. Aunt Jude had a big list. She ended up calling me & saying she had already checked out & headed to the Suburban. I had the keys. So, she asked me to send the boys out with the keys. I sent them out. I, of course, picked the line with the slowest checker of all time.
When I finally got out to the suburban, Aunt Jude, Colt, and Rye were all inside. I opened the back of the suburban. It was full of sacks of pecans. I had to make room for my stuff. As I was complaining about this, Colt was getting out of the car to help me with my bags. As he did, he had to let a guy pass by before he could go ahead & get out. Colt noticed the guy had a pink, sparkley wallet/clutch. This was the first click. Second click, Colt looked at Mom's basket where she usually puts her pink, sparkley wallet/clutch. It wasn't there. Third click, he turns around to look at the guy walking away with the pink, sparkley wallet/clutch. The guys turns back to look & they make eye contact. Colt says, "Mom, that guy just took your purse." The guy then takes off running.
Now, if you might be wondering what went through my head at this point, I can't tell you. I just reacted. I said to Colt, "Come on, go after him." I wasn't scared & I wasn't angry. I was just going after my purse. I knew that I needed to attract attention. I was yelling "Police!" and "He took my purse!" and "Someone help me!" I kept yelling, "Help! He's got my purse!" This poor guy doesn't realize that I'm just as poor & desperate as he is.
We had to cross through 3 double-rows of parked cars to get to the get-away car. As I have noticed, most crime plans are not well thought out. This was not an exception, the person in the get-away car was in the passenger seat. Hello?
I remember thinking as we were running, "My legs aren't moving fast enough". I felt like I was moving in slow motion. Colt corrected me later when I told him about this. He said, "Mom, you were running FAST! You were running faster than me!" I guess so, I caught the guy. Maybe that poor thief was just slow. My favorite part of this whole story...I had on high heels...3-inch spikes actually. This picture's getting funnier all the time.
I do remember thinking, "I need to get his tag number. Just remember his tag number." This was all I expected to accomplish. I really didn't think that we would catch him. But, we did. The runner jumped in the driver's seat. He was in a farm truck...such a disgrace. It was white with a black flat-bed. They had a metal plate intentionally covering up their tag.
I followed him right up to the window. Now, get this...HE ROLLED HIS WINDOW DOWN! Are you kidding me?
I remember my Aunt Judy screaming "Somebody help her! He stole her purse!"
I said "Give me my purse." He was very flustered & stuttered, "I-I-I left it back there (pointing back). It's...It's...back there (pointing again)...under that car." I don't think I looked back where he was pointing. I just said a little louder, "Give me my purse back. NOW!"
Now, there was a slight pause, with our eyes locked. It seemed to be a moment of recognition. I don't know if he saw fire in my eyes or just no fear or if there was something deeper. Whatever it was, he reached down (this made Colt nervous, he was getting ready to defend his Mama.) He pulled my wallet up from between his seat & his door & handed it to me!
I backed away with Colten & the robbers started to back out & pull away. I looked around to see a few people nearby watching. My dear Aunt Judy was trying to pull the metal cover off the tag. She had to move, so he wouldn't hit her. She was screaming many explicitives after him. "You sorry, no-good, thievin' so & so" (That's the cleaned up version).
I, of course, called 911 & had to wait to give statements & answer questions. There was another man that was nearby & was able to give a statement & description. He was an onlooker, a witness. Colt said he was walking up, lighting a cigarette, while the excitement was going on. I was quite honestly surprised at the lack of help that we received. There were people all around, but they were just watching. Of course, who knows what they were thinking.
I found out, after the fact, that Aunt Jude had arrived at the farm truck shortly after us. She was at the passenger's side. The passenger had on a hoodie & was bent over with the hoodie pulled over him the entire time. Aunt Jude was beating on the window, yelling her alarming explicitives at the passenger. When the police went inside Wal-Mart to view the surveillance tape, I told Aunt Jude, "I hope that the video doesn't have audio on it."
Was chasing the guy a smart thing? Yes, to get a tag number & description. Was confronting him a smart move? Probably not, but I am very thankful it turned out like it did. No one was hurt & I got my wallet back. I can say honestly that I wasn't scared or angry at the time. I had a huge adrenaline rush, but that was just for the racing.
I have been reminded that there are many things more important that what was in my purse. I agree. I am thankful.
I told my family that those robbers could have gotten away with all our library cards. My mom said, "Can you imagine what they could have checked out from the library in your name?!" I can't...that scenario is just too disturbing to think about.
My family were all in agreement...they were thankful this poor guy got the new Julinda instead of the old one. They thought the old one might have dragged him out of the truck & beat him with her high heels.
I am thankful they recognize there is a "new" Julinda.
Julinda
P.S. Ladies...DO NOT leave your purses in your shopping baskets!
