I drove to Wal-Mart Wed morning to meet my Friend Sue, treasurer of TOPS. Meet Up in grocery side entrance at 10:15.
I had to return something, and chose to go early. After customer service, I decided to walk the outer perimeter of the store. Exercise was part of my Mission, Can you guess what the other mission was?
Think hard, remember my Phobias and Fears...…… you should know by now...…
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Have you guessed?
I wanted to find the EXITS! after the week end of News, I said to Bob, where are the exits in our Wal-Mart. Neither of us knew.
You will be happy to know that I located 17 exits, 19 if you count the two cubbies where the baskets are stored, the space at the back where they push them inside.
For 15 minutes I walked the store, peering down every aisle I came to, staring at every EXIT sign, marking them in my memory bank.
I then paid for the one item, put it in a bag and went in the rest room to you know what.
I go to the proposed meeting place and sit next to a man eating hash browns. THE SMELL WAS KILING me.
I said do you think we are safe sitting here? he said I hope so and moved away from me.
Sue was late, I had to wait 20 minutes. I paced and sat, went out and peered at the parking lot, Stood by the door peering out. It was drizzling rain and I realized Wal-Mart has no over hang. Who Knew? I Looked at all the GAMES in the nook, in other words, HOVEREING and PEERING..
It never once occurred to me what I must have LOOKED LIKE on the hidden cameras.
Sue came, we walked to her car to transfer things to a basket to put in my car and while telling her about the exits, I notice a police car parked 20 feet from me, as in the photo above.
I said OMG Sue, he has been watching me HOVER and what about the cameras in side?
She was happy to know the exits I found because she said to me.
LOOK at me. I look Hispanic! She is full blooded Italian and an immigrant.
I said OH NO.. lets make a name tag that says I am Italian!
IF they come knocking on my door can Bob call you for donations for bail money? How long do they keep those recordings?
20 comments:
Wow, this is a smart thing to do! Because now there have been two Wal-Mart incidents. I even asked Phil if he thought it was safe to go to WM the other day. And there are copycats out there! We live in a small city, so maybe that is a good thing. Your first picture BLEW my mind!!! Seriously. I can't stop looking.
Hari Om
Okay... first, don't panic. Second, well done on the exit execution. Let me rephrase that. The exit exploration. Third, you have your TOPS paperwork and credentials to prove your purpose. Fourth - absolutely Bob can call - I have about $5 to put in the kitty...
Fifth - thanks for the early morning giggle (although it's not REALLy a laughing matter...)! YAM xx
Haven't you ever heard of the show, Smile you're on Candid Camera! ha ha, oh my goodness, they were keeping a close eye on you!! Good thing you knew where the exits were in case you had to make a run for it. Love your Walmart photo with you lurking in the clouds!! Silly girl!
Love the photo of you in the clouds. It saddens me to think you have to be so vigilant just to go to a super market. It must be awful. I'm so pleased that we have fairly strict gun laws.
I was at WM the other day to buy a box of those tiny gold safety pins and noticed TWO portable police towers that hold two officers & cameras in the parking lot...never before. Sad times these days.
First off, absolutely YES, Bob can call me to help with your bail money. I would go into withdrawls if your blog sat idle for too long so we need you at your keyboard...lol
I've never been one to go into panic mode. Even though there have been shootings at other Walmarts I haven't even considered that I wouldn't be safe while shopping. I suppose it comes down to faith that if it's meant to be it will be and there's nothing I could do to stop it.
Suffering bothers me more than dying. My prayer is that when my time comes, I will just wake up dead.
As to cameras, I also probably ended up being reviewed this week too. I left a well known fabric store without paying. Wait, that didn't sound good. After waiting and waiting and pushing the help button and then waiting and waiting, I simply left the fabric on the counter; walked around my cart and walked out calmly. Nothing illegal or in bad behavior but I did think 'my license plate is probably on film.'
Hello,
These are sad days, I guess it does not hurt to know where all the exits are located anywhere we go. I love the photo with you in the clouds. Enjoy your day!
OH MY WORD not a bad idea.
Absolutely Bob can call me for bail money for MH(mad hoveree).
Was the police car there when you entered? Do you thank Mr. Hash Brown called them after you spoke to him about safety?
Sadly our school system will be 'active shooter' drills next week before school starts.
Hugs
Cecilia
Your posts are always funny! I'm not afraid at all here in Missouri. I carry my own weapon as do most of my friends, if there is trouble I will run towards it. We all grew up around guns and have fun at the shooting range often. If a bad guy wants trouble, I won't have to wait on the 911 call, I am my own 911 call.
Sure, he can call....every now and then I have the thought of wonder who is watching on cameras...specially when I dig in my purse for list or phone.
LOVE your opening photo sooooo much. Like a benevolent guardian angel. (Except, of course, I'm thankful you're still a mortal -ha.)
Why yes. Yes I figured out what you were doing -- smart lady! My son does the same thing WHEREVER he goes. Has for years (plus he doesn't like to sit in a restaurant, etc. with his back to the door) ... it's almost become a family joke. We don't go to the movies anymore, but after the 2012 theater shootings I made sure I knew where the exits were, which way I'd run, etc. What a world!
Sad to think it has come to this. 15 years ago I already had a sense we were all being watched but it was likely to monitor our pattern of shopping and then the cash registers linked all together to a developer and their GPS apps and now our smart phones. If you subscribe to store emails they start sending you info about what YOU like buying.
Now that is all well in place. Google has succeeded.
But what is so sad is that people are generally unaware of it and due to awful comments by some individual they are targeting the wrong issue of hard working people rather than those huge corporations that are now in control with less empathy than elected leaders who are more and more powerless leaving them to just bicker and rant as they cannot move forward. The power of money holds them in a stronghold. Sadly it is also becoming a global issue now.
When US says shootings are bad in US only the reality is here in Toronto there were 22 people shot over the last 8 days , all gang related. Drugs are behind those incidents. And home grown kids are the killers and targets. Guns have come to our city from US and it is getting out of hand. It seems weapons make it into our country via cars and trucks. Border police is not able to get it under control,.
My advice is every that gun/ weapon be sold with a chip hidden in it so it can br followed just like phones. GPS tracks so much so why not weapons? {Maybe this should have been a post ?}
Glad your Walmart trip was a peaceful one..
You are much more vigilant than I am..for sure...
I can believe you were watched for the kind of scoping out you did in the store.
My Hubby was head of security at Sears for many years and knew many stories about people and their actions.
It certainly is good to know where the exits are and I will pay more attention to them in the future.
Too funny about Mr. Hash Browns...temptations everywhere.
Oh, and
Of course I will contribute to Bail...what are friends for??
Lol I will send bail money! That’s a funny story. Who knew Walmart had that many exits? Yes very sad what has happened this week
I am going there tonight - i knew there was no hang over. But 17 exits - who knew?
Not only did you do that - then you sat down and went around again! lol
They probably were watching you.
No one is safe anymore - it is very sad.
Love, sandie
PS Glad you didn't get questioned!
Oh my gosh, I'd never have thought to do that. Isn't it sad that we have to think of these things now? Very smart of you to do that. I don't usually go to Walmart on a weekend because of the crowds.
Sure tell him to call me...you have my phone number right? Oh you don't...well...gotta go! hahaha! I think that IS a good idea to know where the exits are and you are smart to figure that out. I hate waiting on someone so I would have looked like a crazy person pacing around. But most people look a little crazed at that store I think! Hope you have a quiet rest of the weekend!
We've been having similar feelings about what has been happening lately. We all need to be aware of our surroundings. Stay safe!
No fun waiting for people who are late! That's an interesting sorry. I wonder if anyone was really watching you. Good idea to know the exits!
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