Aselin

I don't know why I am such a magnet.

A few months ago I was picking up a prescription at the Walgreens drive-thru. I'm not sure my Walgreens drive -thru is faster than if I were to go into the store since every time I pick something up I end up turning off my car to wait for the complicated task of finding the prescription in the "M" box and handing it through the window. These things are tough you know.

So minding my own business, I'm sitting in the drive-thru blocked by the car in front of me and a car behind me waiting for my turn when this red truck comes screeching around the corner and flies past the drive-thru line at way-fast miles per hour. I could hear the tires squealing over NPR and I mentally gave the irresponsible driver a lecture about safety.

It's my turn to drive up to the window so I move forward and turn the car off as I'm talking to the attendant when suddenly, behind the attendant, the driver of the car appears. He's yelling and wielding a gun. Pointing the gun toward the attendant and by extension at me.

I don't like guns. I think people should have the right to bear arms, just please, please, please don't bear them at me. This is one of those moments when time goes really slow, even though in reality it is going quite quickly. The car in front of me has not pulled away. My own car is off. I have no idea how effective bullet-proof glass is or if they bothered to install it at this Walgreens. So I do what any brave prescription-picking up patron would do... I ducked.

It's hard to say how much protection I actually received, but with my head in the proverbial sand I did feel more secure.

I have no idea what was going on inside the store, the robber didn't push the "talk" button so I could hear him. Rude.

After a few moments I heard the now familiar squeal of tires, and I peered over the dash to see the same truck, backing up at "way too fast" miles per hour. He spun out, and drove straight into traffic on the main road speeding away. Employees had run into the parking lot, seemingly chasing the perpetrator. I was more than a little shaken up at what had just happened.

I looked over at the window to see my attendant ringing up my prescription. What does one say after a robbery? I am not up on the current etiquette. Without missing a beat the attendant matter-of-factly tells me the total of my purchase.

Really?

I ask if she thinks I need to stick around as a witness and again without missing a beat she says no, they'll call me if they need me.

Um, OK. I clutch the bag she handed me, start my vehicle and drive away.

How does one react after witnessing, sort of, a robbery? I've never had a gun pointed AT me. What kind of danger was I really in? I have NO idea. Time passed and I mentally recovered from the unsettling fact that I have no answer to these questions.

Until today.

While lunching with some friends at a popular local eatery we were immersed in food, conversation and ambiance. Walking out to our cars we were still chatting when I looked up at a balcony above the patio we had just been on. Nudging my companions I say - hey, there's a guy in a ninja mask up there...with a bullet-proof vest and a rifle. Hey, there are three of them. Hey they are cops. YIKES?!?!?

Moments before we had been conversing literally under the feet of this undercover swat sting. Weird thing is there was no commotion, no yelling, even though they were wielding weapons, there was no action going on. This made me even more uneasy. Not interested in reenacting my Walgreens experience I said my goodbyes and jumped in my car. As I drove away I got a better look - yes they were wearing black ninja masks. Yes they all had rifles. Yes they were all wearing bullet-proof vests.

How does one react? Well, like any responsible citizen, I got in my car and drove away.