Be Aware of your Surroundings!!!

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

Well, this blog post is way off topic, but I think it is an important lesson for everyone so I decided to post it on here anyways... here is my story.

Saturday evening I had just gotten done working my second job as a cheer instructor. I had decided to run to Walmart to pick up a few things that I knew we would need for our honeymoon. I was standing in the travel stuff isle picking out small size shampoo, hair spray, etc... when this older woman approached me and said...

Older woman: Are you here by yourself?
Me: Yes...
Older woman: Well, I just wanted to let you know that a man has been watching you stand here for the past five minutes and he is starting to worry me....
Me: Okay, well thanks for letting me know.
Older woman: Just remember you need to be aware of your surroundings.
Me: Thank you for watching out for me.

At this point I wasn't worried because I thought maybe she was blowing the situation into something that it wasn't, so I went about my business without much thought as to what she said... a few minutes later she approaches me again...

Older woman: Will you follow me so I can show you want he looks like?
Me: Sure.
(We move to a different isle)
Older woman: There he is... in the khaki pants, black shirt, and black hat... he has been following you around the store... please watch out for yourself...
Me: Thank you, I will...
Older Women: I'm getting ready to leave would you like me to tell someone... ?
Me: No I think I'll be fine, thank you again.

She leaves... and now I am officially scared. I think about leaving the store right away, but once again, I think to myself that I don't want to make a big deal out of something that isn't so I proceed to shop and pick up things that I need... I move on to looking at slip covers... and while in that isle I notice this man that the older lady had pointed out to me walking back and forth the adjacent isle... he never approached me, he would just look at me making sure he knew where I was... at this point I was totally freaked so I got my cart and hurried to the grocery section to pick up my yogurt and cereal and get the heck out of there... as I was walking that way I looked behind me and from a large distance I saw the same man following me....

Once in the grocery isle I didn't see him from some time... I got my stuff and hurried into the check out lane. At this point I thought I had lost him and then began thinking that this lady had gotten me scared over nothing... I mean why would this guy be following me???

All the check out lanes where full so I picked one I thought would go fast... while standing there I turned around and this man was standing in the clothing section behind me just watching me... again I freaked! Soon someone got in line behind me... and then he stepped in line behind them. At this point I felt a relief thinking that I would be long gone before he could even check out... keep in mind though he only had a thing of cleaning spray that he was buying. I finally got up to the counter to pay... my heart was beating through my chest at this point and I was scared to death. I think about saying something to the person that is checking me out but the man is standing right there and if I am blowing this out of portion I didn't want to look like a fool. So I decided to not say anything. At this point I noticed another man in a green shirt with the word NAVY across the front of it standing against the wall in front of the check out lane. I didn't think anything of it... I just figured he was waiting on someone. At this point I'm almost finished with my transactions and I'm ready to bolt. I take one last look behind me just to make sure the man who had been following me was still there. HE ISN'T! The man had set down his cleaning spray that I thought he was going to buy! I start looking around and he is now standing beside the man in the green NAVY shirt and they are both staring at me!!!!! It was then that I realize the man in the green NAVY shirt I had also seen around me quite a lot as I was shopping!

I put my stuff in my cart and start walking... FAST... I look behind me and sure enough they are following me out... it was then that I decided I needed help! I approached one of the Walmart workers and said...

Me: Excuse me... there are two men behind me... one in a black shirt and the other in a green NAVY shirt... they have been following me around the store... please help me... will you get someone to escort me out to me car!
Walmart Worker: Sure ma'am, stay right here!

I look back and the two men are now standing up against the wall again pretending to just be in conversation with one another. Soon the Walmart Worker comes back and escorts me to my car. I jumped in locked the doors and got the heck outta there! I never saw the two men come out of the store.

I'm not gonna lie... the whole situation scared me to death... I don't know what exactly the men were up to... maybe nothing... but it sure seemed like something. And I think the real reason it scared me so much was because I have a degree in Criminal Justice and have taken many classes about serial killers etc. and my soon to be husband is a police officer so I know the importance of never let your guard down and never trust anyone... but I did and if that lady had not come along and said something to me... would I have even noticed what was going on? Maybe, maybe not!

I never use to be scared to go shopping by myself, to go running and on walks with Remington by myself, or to stay home at night while Dan was at work, but since this happened I am scared. You just never know what could happen! So just a warning to everyone.... as the Older Woman told me... "You need to be aware of your surroundings..." This was a huge lesson to me and I hope it is one to all of you!

[Michelle]

Wow! Glad to hear you followed your instincts! I really do my best to not go to Walmart at night because the parking lot is dark and over here by us there seems to be a lot of seedy characters late at night!! Good for you
for speaking up!!

[Susan Crespo]

Thank God for that old woman! It's a good lesson for everyone to be aware of whats around you and to go with your gut!

[Adina P]

Woah is that ever creepy! Glad you are safe and you asked for an escort. I don't tend to trust my fears because I'm so full of them...LOL. Practically daily I have some sort of fear fantasy (what I call them) where I imagine some worst case scenario and I find myself getting anxious over nothing. So it IS hard to know when it's just an overactive imagination and when there is legitimate need to worry, for me. I tend to cast off my worries in the end...but man alive...I would have been legitimately concerned as you were in your scenario. I can't help but wonder WHAT in the world did they want? I want the mystery solved! I guess we'll never know, but sheesh...very scary event!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am SO glad you are okay!! I think that you should report this to the police. I am sure that the security tapes from WalMart will have picked up them somewhere in the store that you could pick them out. These men could be wanted by the police for something prior - you never know. It may help save the life of someone else!

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

Oh my goodness... YUCK!

[Leigh & Allie]

That is SOOO scary. Recently I was driving along and noticed a car that would stay right beside me. I tried not to look at him but when I took a quick look he exposed himself to me. I have never been so scared in my life. I was not in the best part of town because I was going to the doctors office. I managed to lose him at a stop light and did not see him again but it makes you wonder what are people thinking????

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There is a wonderful book by personal security expert Gavin de Becker called "The Gift of Fear" which every woman should read. It addresses these issues, and the fact that many women end up victims of violent crime because they feel embarrassed to ask for help and "look like a fool" or "blow things out of proportion". Nature gave us instincts for a reason, so never discount them. If something doesn't feel right to you, always trust your instincts.
I'm so glad that lady helped you to trust your fear instinct, Kendra.
In this way, we could learn a lot from our dogs. When dogs are suspicious of something, they never try to talk themselves out of their fears, lol. That's how wild animals survive.

(PS De Becker also has a book for keeping kids safe called "Protecting the Gift"...very important reading.)

[Michele Barton]

Oh my God, Kendra, that Older Woman may have saved your life. I am so glad that you finally asked for help. Please don't ever be embarrassed to ask for help; if it doesn't feel right, always do whatever you can to ensure your safety. My hands are shaking as I type this...Also, don't let what happened keep you in a constant state of fear. Being aware of your surroundings is excellent advice - it empowers you to take action if need be, and allows you feel safe and in control, not always fearful. I am sooooooooooooo glad you are okay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!