Troy McClure SF please don’t sink to their level. The knife is a bad idea. Gun trumps knife every time and if you are shot or killed, the knife could be positioned so it looks like self defense.
You might want to avoid that store for a while.
PS- the ex- cow-orker really screwed you over for a good deed done. You should let him know so he doesn’t do that in future.
I always get involved also. You think the crooks get mad. Try rousing cops from their donut sugar comas.
If it wasn’t for the guns in my house, I would never get involved.
I reported someone trying to sell me surround sound out of the back of an SUV in a convenience store parking lot two days ago. The deputy’s first question: would you be willing to face the guy in court and ID him? If I’m defenseless in my home, no way do I report anyone for anything.
Before that I reported some guy for saying he was going to “kill you” loudly at his girlfriend several times. His girlfriend, a downstairs neighbor in our old apt. complex, was screaming “Help me!” and “Leave me alone!” I yelled out an open window I was calling the cops. He yelled back at me and threatened to kill me. He, obviously, knew where I lived. I just came to the window with my 12 gauge, looked very intently at him and his car. Then I expressed the opinion that if I ever saw him walk up our stairs I would shoot him. Problem solved.
First - glad you are OK.
Second: Anecdotally, when I lived in Phoenix I went to grad school with a guy who took the law into his own hands. It’s terrible what happened, but he was never fucked with again.
He was continuously harrassed for being a large guy, he took the city bus to school everyday from Mesa. There was a local mexican gang that would taunt him, mug him and do everything to really fuck with him. I used to hear stories and it was terrible.
So one day this guy goes to a local gun outlet and buys a large can of Bear Spray - essentially it’s 100% pepper spray in a canister the size of a small fire extinguisher. A range of like 50 feet full force.
He boarded the bus to go home from school one night. a few stops from his appartment the bus was empty except for him, it stopped and 10-15 guys piled in. All the assholes who mess with him basically. The next stop comes and he goes to exit the bus…
Once in the front he turns around, and they all look at him in idle anticipation to see what he’s going to say; when he pulls out the canister, covers his mouth and nose with a bandana and unloads the entire contents of the Bear Spray on the guys…all in their faces, eyes, mouths etc…etc… the bus driver tackes him out of the bus, and radio’s for the cops. The guy tried to run home and was caught and spent a week in tent city. It was all over the news and apparently the gang member that was closest to him was blinded. I don’t remember, it was a long time ago. Plus, the guy dropped out of ASU and moved home…Utah I believe.
I did go back to Cala, and the co-worker said, basically, “I just can’t win with you, can I, Jeff?”
Fucking weasel. Shoulda known, though. I worked with him for three years and I don;t think I’ve heard him accept responsibility for anything.
all I can say is, yay, no entrance wound! and
Dude, you have the cooolest local EVER!
that is all.
Yell it a couple times in the Nag’s Head and the Hearth too, if you’re on a crawl. That would tickle me to death to bump into a “doper” in a bar.
The last time I was in the Nag’s Head I had to crawl out. 
All I have to say is holy shit. Glad you’re OK, Troy.
Don’t I know it.
I think perhaps a Bay Area Bar Review is in order…
Glad to hear you are safe and sound Troy.
I’m sorry, I must be missing something. Did your ex-Co-worker know one of the “homies” of the shoplifter was around? Did he know there were more in the immediate vicinity? Is there any reason to believe he had any idea that recognizing you for your help would cause you any problems whatsoever?
I sympathize with your terrifying experience. I’ve had one or two of those myself. What I don’t understand is how the ex-co-worker has some culpability for the actions of the gang. Is there some underlying mechanics of the neighborhood(i.e. there’s ALWAYS a gang member within earshot) that I’m missing?
Enjoy,
Steven