[ FYI: this is a super long post, if you rather watch a video than click on the video below. ]
well let me start from the beginning, lol. it was a Sunday and i was off of work and have been studying all day. so i decided to go get some fresh air and leave my apt for a little bit. i really had nowhere specific to go, so i thought i would just head down to the gas station that was down the street, buy some snacks, come home and watch a couple movies before doing a little studying and heading to bed for the night.
fast forward....so i get to the gas station and walk into the first isle. just minding my own business looking for a candy bar, chips well just any snacks that i would feel like eating later. the next thing i know this lady comes up to me and starts speaking to me. so i turn to hear what she had to say, and she says "can i borrow your phone to call someone." in my head i didn't think anything of it and simply told her, "hey, yeah you can. i can't give you my phone. but i can make the call and put it on speaker for you." in the past i've had people steal so much from me, and even someone i thought was a friend steal my laptop and iPad, pawn it, and lie about it to my face. so i don't really trust anyone to have my possessions. especially people i don't know. which is the why i told her that i couldn't physically hand my phone to her to use. but could of held onto it, dial the number and put the call on speaker phone so she could hear and talk back. but as soon as i was done talking, the tone of her voice changed. in the beginning of the conversation she sounded so normal, nice and chilled. but as soon as i stopped speaking her mood, and attitude just switched. her tone became rude, and she became really loud and aggressive. her reply after me was "So you don't trust me?, You think i'm just going to steal your phone after asking to use it? See this is why i hate bouije b*tches like you because you always act like your better than everyone." At that point my attitude went from nice to just annoyed. I feel like i didn't tell her that i wasn't going to let her make the call, so for her to judge me because of my reply wasn't really cool to me. I told her, "You know what, than you don't have o use it. i think you can go up to the cashier and ask to use there phone." I literally came to buy snacks and just didn't want to argue with someone that i did not know. So after that, i walked away from her to go into the next isle.
when i did that, she immediately followed me to the next isle and walked up to me and got super close to my face (just not giving me any personal space) i moved back and said "Girl, what is wrong with you. Like can you just leave me alone." And she said, "So your really not going to let me use your phone." i replied, "i said you could, but you had an attitude so i think you should just go and ask the cashiers to use theres." to me just following me in the next isle and getting close to my face, i knew something was just not right about her and the situation. i just didn't want the situation to escalate or any drama. so i walked away from her again. at this point i just wanted to find my things and leave that gas station asap. so i left to another isle, and as i did that. (thinking she would just leave it be). she walked away, yelling in the store "you boogie b*tch, dumb h*es always think there better than people, your a*s is going to get whats coming for you." and than walked into the bathroom still just verbally attacking me.
at that point i was just really shocked and not really sure why or the reason this person was acting the way she was. i started getting scared so when i noticed that she shut the bathroom door, i decided to go up and pay for my things and just leave that scene as soon as i could. i just wanted to leave the gas station as soon as possible because i didn't want something crazy to happen. just hearing about all the gas station crimes going on in Atlanta, i thought leaving was the best decision for me. as soon as i got up to the register to pay for my things, she reappeared from the bathroom and came straight to were i was paying for me items, and i hear "so your just going to leave and not let me use your phone. i asked nicely." at that point i just knew she was up to something. i was just soo annoyed and terrified because i knew she must've been watching me from the bathroom to even know the exact time i went up to pay for my items. so i just didn't even acknowledge that she was standing next to me. i ignored her completely at that point because i just wanted to leave. the cashier witnessed everything and we just looked at each other, i rolled my eyes and shook my head and walked away after getting my change. i expected him to do something at that point really. just with him seeing her following me, and harassing me. i expected him to tell her to leave his customers alone, stop harassing me, call the police, well just something.
so after paying, i walk out the door and didn't look back. just wanted to leave at that point. as soon as i get to the front of my car, out of no where i feel someone grab onto my neck, (while watching the video the clerk explained that she followed me out the store and to my car. and they still did nothing to help SMH). anyway i felt someone grab onto my neck, and just trying to get me to the ground. i wasn't going to not at least try to defend myself or be attacked and pulled down to the ground. i'm not a fighter at all, but i wasn't going out without a fight! so as the person has my neck and is trying to body clam me, i try to stop that as much as i could. everything was literally happening so fast at this point. for some reason the person wouldn't let me turn around and get a look at there face. i was finally able to release some pressure and just get a good look at this person. and guess who it was. the same lady from inside the gas station. i just got so angry and annoyed because i felt like i did try to help her and she turned around and ruined my day. so when i saw it was her, i glared into her eyes, and thats when she told me "See this is what you get for not letting me have your phone the first time." when she said that, i just got so angry and refused to not let her win this battle! so my only goal than was to break free from her. once i broke free and started defending myself. she started swinging. hitting my face and body. i ended up tripped and fell to the ground. she started swinging again while i was on the ground. so i tried to kick her away from me. while i was defending myself, i noticed people just watching what was going on. so when i got to the ground, i didn't realize that i dropped everything i came out of the gas station with. i just remember grabbing my phone and trying to call for help. as soon as she saw my phone, she tried to snatch it from me. but with all my might there was no way i was letting go at this point. i felt like no one was going to help, so my phone was the only way i could call the police to help me. she already put her hands on me, so i figured the worst has already happened. i was on the ground pulling my phone back and she was standing pulling it to her. we played tug a war for a little while i was on the ground, until she finally got the phone and ran to her friends car. i jumped back up and went right after her, grabbed my phone from her hand and than we started playing another round of tug a war with my phone. i wasn't going to let go with all my might. she tried so hard to get the phone and leave, but nope i wasn't letting go. she eventually got a hold of the phone again and handed it to her friend who was done pumping gas. i looked at her friend and in her friends eyes she just looked so shocked at what happened. she looked at the lady and i can tell that the look she was giving the lady was a 'wow, what are you doing, what are you getting me into?' kind of look. so assuming her friend was in her right mind, i told her. "Hey, i'll forget any of this happened, and won't even call the cops if you just give me my phone back." her friend hesitated, looked at lady again and replied, "how do i know this is your phone. this could be her phone." i told her "you just saw everything that happened, you know its my phone. i just want it back and everyone can go on with there lives." so her friend just handed the phone back her and the girl laughed, walked to the car and threw my phone inside the car and got into a fighting position. (both fists balled and ready to swing). at that point i knew i wasn't going to get the phone back, was just tired, and felt very defeated. so i just said, "you know what, keep it. this isn't even worth it anymore." and walked away.
after the attack and everything with the lady, i took a glance to see the things i dropped during the fight, and when i looked over. my car was being driven away. like i was so confused. i came alone so i didn't know who was driving my car, or why. (later on, watching the video, it ended up being 3 african american guys, walking down the street. who watched the attack happen and decided to go ahead and take the car). than all i heard was laughter from the lady and her friend as they got into there car and drove away also. at that moment i looked around and saw witnesses just standing and watching what happened. even both of the gas stations cashiers watched everything that happened. i felt hopless, frustrated, defeated, pissed, sad, mad and very angry. i couldn't hold back my tears and anger after seeing my car and started screaming. not to a specific person, but to everyone standing there just watching. barely getting the words out (because i was also trying to catch my breath at that moment) i yelled, "you guys are just going to stand and not do anything?!?! if this was you, wouldn't you want help?!?" and i just stormed into the gas station and asked to use someones phone and call the police MYSELF. i also used the same phone to go onto my bf's business site, get his number and call him, and than he gave me my sisters number and i called her.
when i tell you in less than 5 minutes of calling 911, about 5 police officer cars showed up to the gas station. all under 5 minutes!! i explained what happened, still in shock and barely able to talk, and gave the officer the description of my car (and thankfully the cashiers got the friends car description and license plate number). when i was done giving my police report, the 2 cashiers gave theres to the officer. it seemed like they knew what was happening more than me. they witnessed the lady follow me out and the 3 guys walk and pick up my keys and drive away with my car. i asked them why didn't they call the police when they saw that and the reply i got was "I thought you two were friends". i was more disappointed in that than anything that has happened. if your able to do something to save someone, especially something that wouldn't get you involved at all; like a simple 911 call. why not? but idk, guess everyone is different... anyway 2 officers went the way my car was driven off in and another 2 the way the ladies friends car was being driven in. than the last officer that stayed with me, got the police report, gave me the case number and told me that they are going to do everything they can to find all 5 suspects (3 guys and 2 ladies). she waited with me until my boyfriend arrived.
Questions:
I'm going to answer 5 questions, but if you guys have anymore, don't hesitate to ask me in the comments section:
1.) Why didn't you just give her the phone?
i don't get asked this a lot, but i know it is whats in most peoples heads. because i read so many texts, messages and posts on things related to this question. even thinking about it now, i feel like if i knew all of this would've happened, of course i would've just let her have the phone when she asked to make the phone call. that way i would just be handling a stolen phone problem. if i knew i was going to be attacked, and have my car stolen also, i'm sure anyone would've just given up there phone. but the thing is in my head i like to still think theres good people in the world, that don't have evil in their hearts. in the store i thought she just wanted to make a phone call. she sounded nice when she asked and figured her doing everything in the store was because she was made at my reply to her question. not once did i think she was out to get my phone and was going to do the most for a phone. or i wouldn't just handed it over. and by the time we were outside, she already attacked me, and fought me. and than stole the phone before she drove away. she only made it clear that the phone was all she wanted at the ENDING of the whole altercation. but i think if anyone was in my situation, and got attacked from behind, that handing a phone over would've been the last thing on your mind too. when she first put me in the choke hold, i could barely breath. i had on a think coat, was panicking, and she had my neck so tight. my mind wasn't on a cell phone. I HAD TO FIGHT BACK at that point. NOT for the phone, BUT FOR MY LIFE!
2.) Do you think the people in the phone crime and car crime were working together?
i posted the surveillance video from the attack so everyone could judge that themselves. but personally, i believe they weren't together. the lady had 1 mission. and that clearly was my phone. and the guys seemed like they came out of nowhere, saw the fight, seen i dropped my keys and took that opportunity to steal my car.
3.) Who am I most mad at?
i honestly believe this world has good people, but also so many evil and heartless people. some people don't care what happens to them at all and simply make dumb decisions because of that. which is why i can't even be that mad at the criminals. the people that i am the most upset wth are the bystanders. the people who stood there and watched everything and did NOTHING to help or diffuse the situation. like i wasn't asking for anyone to jump into the fight at all. but this happened around 5pm, it was't even close to being dark yet, there was a falcons game down the street. so there were many people around the area. if just 1 person would have had the heart to call the police and report what was happening this whole thing would not have escalated this much. if 1 person would've picked up my dropped keys and items and at least held onto it to hand it to me after everything, my car wouldn't have been stolen, if 1 person would have just did something, really anything, i would've been so happy. i wouldn't be as mad as i was at the people who just stood there and watched. but i had to fight her off, than witness my car stolen, walk over to grab my things, and than go into the gas station and still ask to use a phone and call the police myself. i did everything myself, while everyone just watched. that's what i was most mad about.
4.) Am I ok?
Right now, yes i am. this was just a learning experience for me and i don't want it to change my life or the person i am. just learned that everyone you meet doesn't always have the right intentions. learned to be more carful, and watchful of my surroundings. i can choose to be mean and angry because of this experiences. only because i truly believe that no one deserves this kind of thing happening to them, like at all. but you live and you learn and just have to be more careful. i lost my car, phone, chipped a couple teeth, was always frightened, didn't go out much, lost my piece of mind, got my apt locks changed and distanced myself from a lot of people after that. but now, i feel like i'm bouncing back. i feel like i'm becoming myself again :)
5.) Did they catch the suspects?
Yes and No. well, the lady they have caught and she has been charged. but the car thieves got away. by now i've accepted that they won't be caught though. the officer and detective explained to me that when car thieves steal a car they usually ditch the car in an empty parking lot, abandoned building, highway, just anywhere they can leave it, once its out of gas. its been 4 months so i assume that's just what happen. especially if the car still isn't found.
But hope you all learned something from this story. Please be careful wherever you go. Not everything is always clear, so take precautions whenever you are alone. I listed some tips on ways to help this situation if your ever in it (🙏🏾 You Never Will Be). Check It Out Below.
Some Advice and Tips:
1.) Keep your car doors locked
2.) Don't go to an unsafe place alone
3.) Always be aware of your surroundings
4.) Always keep your phone hidden, unless you are alone (wait until you in a bathroom or alone in your car with the doors locked)
5.) Find a way to call the police, if you do feel that you are in danger
6.) If the conversation feels off, or you feel scared. ask an employee to walk you to your car. if they don't, call the police and have them escort you. safety is #1 Priority.
7.) If you ever see anything that isn't right, don't assume there just friends. DO SOMETHING.
8.) If you can't physically do something, CALL THE POLICE to come and do so
Links to some (there are more, but preferred these) of the articles online:
1.) Atlanta Journal Constitution: click here
2.) New York Daily News: click here
3.) CBS46: click here
4.) Fox News: click here
5.) Barestool News: click here
you are so strong for this.
ReplyDelete