...a man with a gun...

Why couldn't I have a normal Memorial Day like so many other people?

I was in Lowe's yestersday afternoon, poking around the garden section looking for some shrubs when I heard the words that keep ringing in my ears...there is a man with a gun in the store...everyone needs to leave, NOW! As I stared at the Lowe's employee with disbelief, out came another one running towards the side gates. "There is a man in the store with a gun. Everyone must leave now. We are getting ready to lock down the store." Geez, I get chill bumps just typing those words. I left my buggy with my beautiful cleyera shrub and bolted out the side gate along with a few others. As we all jogged towards the parking lot, which happened to be in front of the store, we all noticed that all of the garden center gates were closed. There were people trying to go into the store and others were screaming at them that there was a guy with a gun in the store. One young couple doubted what they heard and kept on walking towards the front doors. I finally found my voice at this point and screamed at them that there was guy with a gun in the store. They paused and looked at each other and I didn't stick around long enough to see what they did next. I got in my car and all I could think about was the gunman running out of the store shooting like a wildman across the parking lot. I drove the short distance to my house trying to call Bryan but there was no answer at home. When I got home, I found him asleep and woke him up by telling him that I could have been killed. After I told him what had happened...are you ready for this...he didn't believe me! We had a small fight earlier that day and he thought I was making up a story in order to make up with him. What a stupid f***ing thing to say!!! I am not the little boy who cried wolf and I have never made up stories to try and make up with someone. WTF?!?!?

The story was covered on the 5:00 news and it turns out that there were 3 men with guns. An off-duty highway patrolman spotted one of the guns on one of the men and approached him. At this point, the robber pulled out the gun and pointed it at him. Needless to say, the off-duty HP man took cover. The 3 gunman then grabbed some tools and bolted (no pun intended). They ended up running a red-light a few miles away and T-boning another car. They were then caught and apprehended at this point.

As for me...Memorial Day 2008 will be etched in my memory for quite a while.