In Which the Morning Starts Off in a Disturbing Manner
I was feeling pretty groggy this morning and wasn't looking forward to the axle grease we call coffee at work, so I stopped by Hardee's on my way in to grab my morning cuppa and some orange juice. Upon leaving Hardee's, I passed a small, dark colored pick up truck.
This pick up truck followed me. Understand, I get to work very early in the morning, so there's really not anyone else on the road. The truck behind me swerved outside the lane several times, and I made a mental note to mention it to my coworkers as a possible drunk driver. I didn't call it in because 1.) there was no one else on the road, and 2.) he could have been trying to eat his breakfast or drink his coffee, and possibly spilled it on himself. The truck wasn't tailgating me and wasn't presenting a current danger, so I kept a wary eye out and went on my way.
The truck then followed me into the turn lane for the road the PD is on. This was a little odd, but not unheard of. I'm pretty familiar with the normal vehicles I see in the morning, and there are about ten in total (outside city vehicles - patrol cars & PW trucks) who turn down that road that early (the always-clean black F350, the white Accord with the "Family First" bumper sticker, etc). So... yes. Maybe I was feeling a little paranoid pre-coffee, but meh.
The truck then pulled into the turn lane for the PD, which struck me as extremely odd, but I gave the driver the benefit of the doubt in that he might have been a new Coast Guard employee.
When the truck turned to the PD parking lot, passed all the citizen parking, and rolled up behind me in the staff parking lot, I allowed my official "DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!" lights to go off. I stayed in my car and made sure the door was locked. The truck sat there for about a minute (which, when you're on Red Alert, seems like an eternity) and then rolled forward as though he were going to leave. I stayed put. The truck then backed into the parking space between me and an unmanned patrol car, and rolled down his window. The driver started talking to me. I rolled my window down a crack and heard him asking for directions to a medical center I didn't recognize. I decided that I would leave my bags in the car and have my key card at the ready. The door to the PD was less than ten yards from my car, and I had a decent distance between Creepy Guy's truck and my car so that even if he opened his door, I wouldn't be trapped.
I got out of my car. The guy asked for directions to the unfamiliar medical center. I told him that I didn't know where it was, while I casually inched toward the PD. He said he couldn't hear me and wanted me to come closer. I said no, and that I was going to get an officer from inside to help him with directions.
BEST EXPRESSION EVER. The look on the guy's face was this sort of shock/panic/indecisive expression. He looked at my shirt ("SMPD Criminal Investigations") and then at my face, then at the patrol cars in the parking lot. He said that it wasn't necessary, that he was told the medical center was probably behind the police department (um, no), then asked again if I knew where it was. I told him that I didn't, and that there were plenty of officers just inside who know the community like the back of their hands. He said that he couldn't hear me, to please come closer. Then told me there was no need to get an officer. I told him to wait just a moment and zipped inside. By the time the Major stepped outside, the man was gone.
SO CREEPY.
I let the other officers know the basic description of the vehicle, what I could see of the guy's face, and what he'd said. To be fair, the guy could have been drunk or something and didn't want the police to talk to him. He could have had a suspended license, or other non-abductor related reasons for not wanting to make contact with a police officer. Still, from my point of view:
1.) It was extremely early in the morning, and therefore pitch black outside
2.) This guy followed me from Hardee's, where he could have asked a Hardee's worker for directions
3.) He blocked me in with his truck first, as if waiting for me to get out, then backed in so the driver's side door was facing my door.
In retrospect, it probably would have been safer to call the 911 center non-emergency line and have them put me over to the watch commander on duty (who was in the building) and have him come out before I ever got out of my car. I wagered on my speed if I had to run, and my martial arts abilities should they be necessary (I left my bags in the car for this reason, but took my coffee with a loosed lid so I could throw it at his face if needed). If he'd had a gun, well, he'd have to shoot me. NEVER get into a car, even at gunpoint. This allows abductor's to take you where they want to do... whatever... to you, and they will most likely kill you when they're done. Better to have him shoot me while I'm in front of the police department full of trained first responders than to be forced into a vehicle and taken somewhere where no one could help me. Not that I know he had a gun, of course, but the mind becomes curiously active when you're not sure if someone is trying to abduct you or not.
Anyway, it was extremely creepy.