Calling the Cops

I don't usually hesitate to call the cops on people. Most of the time, when you say you're going to call the cops, they just look at you and stand there. But once you pick up the phone, dial, and start speaking to a dispatcher, that's when a majority of them run. And why are they running? Probably because they did something bad, or were about to.

But I don't know why you guys run, the cops always catch up to you. For instance, I came in one morning, only to have this weirdo kid standing up at the register talking to the night shift girl. He kept asking to use the phone or something like that. When he walked away I asked her what that was about, and she said he's been in and out of the store all night for hours, wanting to use the phone. Normally I would chalk this up to him not having a phone and needing a ride, but moments before I had seen him talking on his cell phone.

So he makes the mistake of coming back in when I'm there. He's going on about how he needs to use the phone, so I tell him he has to leave or I will call the cops. He's like 'Go ahead, I need to make a phone call.” So I did.

I got on the phone, called the police, and started describing him to them. As soon as I mentioned that I thought he was on drugs, he bolted out the front door. We watched as he ran past our windows heading towards the church next door.

Soon after, the night shift girl prepared to walk home. She called me when she got home and said they arrested the kid down the block a little. Apparently he was on methamphetamines or something.

So yeah, while some think I was hard on him for calling the cops just because he wanted to use the phone, it wasn't just that. I could tell he was on something, and who knows, he could have pulled a knife or gun on me in his drug-induced state.

A few hours later, we watched the video surveillance of when he came in, and he was there for about four hours at the store. Three of it was spend on the ground, in the grass outside, talking on his cell phone and swinging his legs around. No wonder he needed to use the phone, his was out of juice!

While these types of freaks aren't all that scary, the ones that ARE scary are really scary. As in, what are they going to do to me scary. Those types of people usually stumble in around 2 or 3 in the morning and look at you like they want to kill you. They bring up their purchase, and then don't say a word to you. While most of the time I would consider this rude of a customer to do, it's actually fine by me even though it scares the hell out of me. I don't want to make them angry in any way, but if they do try to start some shit, I will be on the phone with the police in a second.

It's normal for a convenience store to have some type of protection, namely a gun or some sort of pepper spray. And don't be surprised if a cashier uses it. We're here to work and get paid our daily wages, not to be robbed or beaten.

I sometimes think its a requirement to be a freak before entering a convenience store at night. I mean, we get our share of weirdos during the day too, but almost all of the ones are night are strange. I guess there really is something to be said about needing the sunshine to be happy.