Pizza Panhandler

[Aethian]

So tonight I decided I wanted some pizza and wanted a particular kind of pizza. Well the place doesn't deliver to me so I went ahead and ordered for a pickup. Got down there, got my noms, and was walking back to the car.

A guy approaches and I can feel the hair on the back of my neck start to stand up. Something felt wrong. So he starts off on how he's hungry and could I just drive him somewhere to get something? I state if he's hungry I'll go inside with him at this pizza place and get him something. He faltered a bit then.

Again the plea for something cheap and could I just help him out. I again offer food from the place we're right outside of. Noticing how he's staying away from the windows and in the darker part of the shadow cast by the way the lights were pointing. My nerves were starting to get frayed.

He raises up his shirts and turns around saying he doesn't have any guns on him and BAM my fight or flight is kicking in and I can hear my voice waiver as I offer to walk into the restaurant and get him something. He could stay warm while it was making and could have pizza, bread sticks, and a pop for a semi cheap price. He declines saying they have called the cops on him before.

I give a nervous swallow and toss my food on my seat and lock the door as I walk back inside the place. I start to tell one guy and almost immediately I have five guys on the other side of the counter listen to me. One guy looks at another and they come out from behind the counter. One heads over to talk to the guy and the other walks me back to my car which is in view of everyone else. The remaining three guys watch by the window as I get in and the one who walked me to the car walks over to his coworker to stand and talk with the guy.

I feel bad but at the same time...I'm still shaking. Especially with this only happening 20 mins ago.

[Teskeria]

You did exactly the right thing. Going back inside was the best way to handle it. More people around and they immediately did what was needed to get you on your way safely. When you recover, do take the time to let their management know you appreciate how they assist customers.

[Aethian]

Just sent a email off to the head corporation telling them that the staff there deserve some kind of reward.

[Ree]

That's kind of scary.

I'm glad you wrote the company because that was really good service by those guys at the counter.
I hope they do get some kind of reward.

Glad you're OK, though.

[Sapphire Silk]

OMG

You did exactly the right thing. My creep o meter was ringing a five alarm fire at this story.

Good thing you walked back in. This guy had bad things in mind for you. Glad you listened to your instincts.

Kudos to the pizza guys, and kudos to letting corporate know how great they were.

Glad you're OK.

[Pixilated]

He doesn't have any guns? That's nice. That just leaves knives, duct tape, boxcutters, handcuffs ...

You did absolutely the right thing. If all he wanted was cheap food, he'd have taken you up on your offer to get him something at the pizza place. The fact he persisted in wanting to go elsewhere was a major red flag.

[Cookie]

If he wanted what he said he wanted, he would have taken you up on your offer of pizza. You handled the whole thing very well. Sooooo glad the folks at the pizza place jumped in the way they did!

[kpzra]

As others have said, you did the right thing. A situation similar to that (except the guy kept advancing as I was backing up) was one of the only times I've drawn my pistol with the intent of using it. I was trying to get into better light and better footing. The guy ended up taking off, and was shortly found and arrested by the police.

[blas]

And now I will reconsider ever going to Toppers at 2 am again, at least before I get my gun and permit to be strapped in public.

[Bandit]

I've seen that sort of thing before when I was in the US. Someone begging for money outside of a C-Store and pleading "I'm starving, bro! Help me out!".

He didn't like it when I pointed out the McDonald's across the street and offered to pay for his meal there.

Dumbarse.

B

[taxguykarl]

I've seen that sort of thing before when I was in the US. Someone begging for money outside of a C-Store and pleading "I'm starving, bro! Help me out!".

He didn't like it when I pointed out the McDonald's across the street and offered to pay for his meal there.

They don't. Who doesn't know these panhandlers are more likely to be after booze or drug money.

[PepperElf]

He doesn't have any guns? That's nice. That just leaves knives, duct tape, boxcutters, handcuffs ...

You did absolutely the right thing. If all he wanted was cheap food, he'd have taken you up on your offer to get him something at the pizza place. The fact he persisted in wanting to go elsewhere was a major red flag.

plus who's to say he's not lying. some guns fit nicely into pockets, so they wouldn't be visible under a shirt even after you lift it up. plus the fact he thought to do this makes me a distrusty pepper


the only thing i'd have suggested is... if your car was already unlocked then carry on, ignore this part.

but if your car wasn't unlocked or open... i'd have suggested going back right away. sometimes it's not food or money they're after but... your car.

[XCashier]

I give a nervous swallow and toss my food on my seat and lock the door as I walk back inside the place. I start to tell one guy and almost immediately I have five guys on the other side of the counter listen to me. One guy looks at another and they come out from behind the counter. One heads over to talk to the guy and the other walks me back to my car which is in view of everyone else. The remaining three guys watch by the window as I get in and the one who walked me to the car walks over to his coworker to stand and talk with the guy.

I feel bad but at the same time...I'm still shaking. Especially with this only happening 20 mins ago.

Don't feel bad. You did the right thing. Your gut was screaming at you to get away from him, and for good reason. Always listen when your gut tells you to get away from a person or a situation. Don't worry about "hurting their feelings", the creeps are relying on you being too polite to "hurt their feelings" to get their way with you.

Good for the restaurant employees! Kudos to them for protecting you and getting rid of him! I too hope they get some recognition or reward from Corporate.

[bhskittykatt]

Second everyone saying you did the right thing. If your gut says something's wrong...then something's wrong. That's your subconscious picking up on clues you may not be consciously aware of and giving you a warning!

The restaurant employees were awesome. I'd definitely let their supers know. They deserve to be commended.

[Cymberleah]

Another one to say you did the right thing. Never, ever ignore your instincts. Even if you were wrong (and I highly doubt you were), it cost you nothing to go get help.

I've been in a situation before where people were telling me my instincts were wrong. They were mistaken, and had I not insisted that I was not going to go against what I knew to be wrong the bad situation (stalking) would have gotten even worse than it did.

I'm sorry you were put in that situation, and I'm very, very glad that the people at the pizza place backed you up. I'm glad you didn't ignore your gut feeling. Take extra care of yourself for a couple days; let the non-essential chores slide a bit and watch a couple movies, or read a good book, or take a long bath, or whatever relaxes you and helps you calm down from what happened. You should reward yourself for responding correctly when you were stressed and didn't have much time to make a decision, because quite frankly, that is the sort of thing that is awesome and deserves celebrating.