Unusual things that happen while you're walking the dog...

AV8R · Post by **AV8R** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:35 pm

About thirty minutes ago, Granny Glock and I were making the last stop of a quick Saturday afternoon shopping trip. We had made a stop at the United Supermarket on 29th Drive and Brownfield highway (Lubbock) for weekend supplies, and Granny went into the store while I walked our dog. I thought that a 360 around the shopping center would time out about right.

As Max, our Cairn terrier who is 10' tall and bulletproof, and I were rounding the north end of the building to go around the back side, I noticed for the first time that the curving, irregular alley area behind the complex of buildings, nearly a city block long, had no sight lines to any adjacent streets, and it was bordered by a landscaping nursery which blocked the area from view. The area behind the shopping center was, in effect, quite isolated, even though it was in the city center and near lots of activity.

As Max and I were about a half a block into this isolated area, I noticed a fairly new compact car entering the area behind us. As the car neared us and slowed, I saw that it was occupied by three high-school age Mexican kids, who gave a strong return on my punk radar. The car slowed to a crawl, and the three occupants all eyeballed me with a continuous stare. Obviously, they liked the thought of encountering a nicely-dressed old man out walking his dog in an isolated spot. Easy Saturday night cash. I, of course, returned the stares with my best "Lee Van Cleef" looks, and the driver, after a brief delay, broke eye contact and the car left. I'm guessing that their bird nest on the ground looked like it still had a live hawk in it.

Moral of the story: keep practicing the fundamentals. Be aware, be alert, and have a plan. Don't send out "Heeere's your victim" vibes. In the time it took us to walk half a block, things went from a quick afternoon grocery stop in a nice neighborhood, to a potential incident.

And if anyone is curious, I was "wearing a tux". (G21, and 40 rds. of 230gr. Gold Dots)

HEMIzygote · Post by **HEMIzygote** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:52 pm

I know that area.....kinda by the ghetto high school. Glad to see a fellow Lubbockite!

AV8R · Post by **AV8R** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:57 pm

HEMIzygote wrote:I know that area.....kinda by the ghetto high school. Glad to see a fellow Lubbockite!

That's the one. Likewise, I think there are a few of us these days.

Mac Truck · Post by **Mac Truck** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:12 pm

That's what I like to hear!!!! The only thing better would have been a Chuck Norris style squint, followed by the carcasses of three punks rotting in the alley.

There's an old saying in the Powerlifting World, "Age and Treachery always trump Youth and Strength". I think shooting and powerlifting are a lot a like, even though you get older, all that means is that you get stronger and smarter!

AV8R · Post by **AV8R** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:28 pm

I'm actually quite happy with the way things resolved. The boys were probably armed. Things could have gotten ugly in a hurry.

Venus Pax · Post by **Venus Pax** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:15 pm

What's the possibility of staying away from isolated areas?

govnor · Post by **govnor** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:58 pm

Around here in the Dallas area, you can get shot for looking at someone the "wrong way." I'm with you though, I stare those gang bangers down because I hate 'em. I'm also a better shot than they are.

Mac Truck · Post by **Mac Truck** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:18 pm

govnor wrote:Around here in the Dallas area, you can get shot for looking at someone the "wrong way." I'm with you though, I stare those gang bangers down because I hate 'em. I'm also a better shot than they are.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't go gettin' outta hand now! EVERYONE knows that holding a pistol sideways and above your head is THE MOST effective and accurate way of shooting!

I'm right there with you, Gov!

AV8R · Post by **AV8R** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:42 pm

Venus Pax wrote:What's the possibility of staying away from isolated areas?

Right, that's always a good idea. The best defense is not to be there. But walking the dog around the block in mid-afternoon didn't seem at all like risky behavior to me at the time, especially since we were in a busy middle-class residential neighborhood. Max and I often circle the block at our neighborhood store while my wife shops.

First, we had stopped at a store we do not normally use and are not too familiar with. We stopped at that store today because it was on our way home, and we just needed a couple of items. Hence, it wasn't all that obvious to me that the area behind the shopping center would be cut off from outside view. That was only apparent to me after I had gone around a twist and a turn, and was seeing nothing but bricks and trees. And I certainly did not expect to be followed, if indeed I was being followed. And upon seeing a car behind me, I did not expect it to contain what appeared to be street thugs. Neither was I expecting the car to stop and the occupants to size me up. In spite of my not expecting any of this to happen on this particular day and in this particular place, I was exceedingly aware that something might be about to happen when we all made eye contact. They were all business. Then they left. Why they did, Venus, I really do not know. Maybe they were on their way to church, and wanted to be sure I was all right and not lost.

In retrospect, it seems to me that a number of links in the "accident chain" were in the process of assembling together, and pretty quickly. Each link seemed rather innocuous at the time. But the final link didn't materialize, thankfully.

CHL/LEO · Post by **CHL/LEO** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 1:15 am

Come on now and be honest - it was the 10" attack dog that ran them off

longtooth · Post by **longtooth** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:19 am

Good job AV8R.
So easy to step in the mud in that area of town.
Part of my intro to an awareness & verbal asertiveness training I do is: Awareness is one of the tools God uses to bless you with what did not happen.

AV8R · Post by **AV8R** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 12:51 pm

CHL/LEO wrote:Come on now and be honest - it was the 10" attack dog that ran them off :smile:

Max certainly thinks so!

AV8R · Post by **AV8R** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 12:53 pm

longtooth wrote:Good job AV8R.
So easy to step in the mud in that area of town.
Part of my intro to an awareness & verbal asertiveness training I do is: Awareness is one of the tools God uses to bless you with what did not happen.

That's a great analysis.

Venus Pax · Post by **Venus Pax** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 1:49 pm

AV8R wrote:
CHL/LEO wrote:Come on now and be honest - it was the 10" attack dog that ran them off
Max certainly thinks so!

We also have a little "attack" dog. He's a rottweiler in a miniature schnauzer's body.

MoJo · Post by **MoJo** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:54 pm

Venus Pax wrote:
AV8R wrote:
CHL/LEO wrote:Come on now and be honest - it was the 10" attack dog that ran them off
Max certainly thinks so!
We also have a little "attack" dog. He's a rottweiler in a miniature schnauzer's body.

Never mind the dog - - - Beware of Owner!!!