Wierd encounter at lunch today...Are we TOO skeptical of our fellow man?

[87th PVI]

I was @ lunch downtown today with another PAFOA member.

He knows the owners & staff but it was my first time there.

He & I were the only patrons in the establishment, when a man came in and asked the person at the front counter if he could direct him to a church. He went on to say that he got a call at work telling him that his wife and daughter had just died while she was in labor. He then started to cry and said that he felt like killing himself.

My friend & I looked at each other as the employee looked over at us with a what do I do look on his face.

The employee went outside with the man. My friend said somthing like he hoped that something wasn't about to go down...I was thinking the same thing.

He then said that was really stupid of Ben (the employee) to go outside with the guy, then he said if Ben was not back very quick he was going out to see if he needs help.

I got up & tried to look out the window to see where they had gone as the owner came out from the back & said to us, "are we being set up for a robbery?"

Ben returned looking befuddled, saying that was really wierd... He was taking the guy down the street to look for a church & he just stopped another passerby & started talking to him.

We asked him why he left with the guy & he said he thought it might be a set up but he knew my friend "would protect the place" while he was gone.

My friend suggested they save a screen capture of the man's face from the security system just in case they need it in the near future.

Everyone remained on guard for a little bit then conversation went back to normal.

A little background on those of us involved:
My lunch companion has had to draw on two occasions in the past few months, I was shot at less than a week ago while walking in a normally nice neighborhood, and the place we were eating at was robbed at gunpoint at 2PM as a dining room full of people were eating their lunches not long ago.


Upon reflection...

I would think that the hospital would not tell someone over the phone that their wife & newborn daughter just died, but what if it was a friend or family member who called him.

What if that man was honestly in distress & was not casing the place or crazy? Why has society jaded us in this way? Why must I question the validity & intention of everyone's actions?



What would you have done if you had been dining with us today?

[gnbrotz]

Clearly stated intent to harm oneself = contact 911 discreetly and be on high alert in the meantime.

[Smalls]

Clearly stated intent to harm oneself = contact 911 discreetly and be on high alert in the meantime.

Exactly.

If it truly was the case, he is going to need a whole lot more than just a church...

[Curmudgeon]

First, you probably don't need to do anything to follow-up, LT. Fells is monitoring and is already on top of this.

Second, you ask why society has jaded us in this way? Well, what way is that, exactly? At what time in the past, throughout history, was it ever not prudent to be a little cautious?

Remember, safety is not a 'feeling' and we are never any safer than the extent of our actual preparations.

I am not one of those "the world is a dangerous place" types, but I do recognize that there are potential dangers. When the guy walked in, you 2 likely 'sensed' something wasn't right, even if it wasn't completely conscious, you still sensed it.

...and you were right. That doesn't make you jaded. Although, if you feel compelled, you could always blame the recent events right on your street!

[87th PVI]

it happened pretty quickly & had us all 75% on guard & 25% dumbfounded at the time. Thought about calling 911 afterward, but he'd disappeared back into the city by that point.

I really wanted to help him I just didn't trust him, & now I feel guilty about it.

[Curmudgeon]

it happened pretty quickly & had us all 75% on guard & 25% dumbfounded at the time. Thought about calling 911 afterward, but he'd disappeared back into the city by that point.

I really wanted to help him I just didn't trust him, & now I feel guilty about it.

Meh, walk it off. Better guilty than victim.

Chris, if your SA wasn't on top of things, instead of having you here typing out this post, we'd have your wife at home, writing out thank you notes to the family for attending your funeral.

A lot has happened. Give it it's due weight.

[fingers80002]

it happened pretty quickly & had us all 75% on guard & 25% dumbfounded at the time. Thought about calling 911 afterward, but he'd disappeared back into the city by that point.

I really wanted to help him I just didn't trust him, & now I feel guilty about it.

Don't frett it.......

Always follow the spidey senses.......

[Curmudgeon]

Don't frett it.......

Always follow the spidey senses.......

^This.


....

[XD40coyote]

The natural "sheepdog" tends to be endowed with some 6th sense. If your immediate gut feeling is that something isn't right, something probably isn't right! Heads up!

[xflyboy]

I was @ lunch downtown today with another PAFOA member.

He knows the owners & staff but it was my first time there.

He & I were the only patrons in the establishment, when a man came in and asked the person at the front counter if he could direct him to a church. He went on to say that he got a call at work telling him that his wife and daughter had just died while she was in labor. He then started to cry and said that he felt like killing himself.

My friend & I looked at each other as the employee looked over at us with a what do I do look on his face.

The employee went outside with the man. My friend said somthing like he hoped that something wasn't about to go down...I was thinking the same thing.

He then said that was really stupid of Ben (the employee) to go outside with the guy, then he said if Ben was not back very quick he was going out to see if he needs help.

I got up & tried to look out the window to see where they had gone as the owner came out from the back & said to us, "are we being set up for a robbery?"

Ben returned looking befuddled, saying that was really wierd... He was taking the guy down the street to look for a church & he just stopped another passerby & started talking to him.

We asked him why he left with the guy & he said he thought it might be a set up but he knew my friend "would protect the place" while he was gone.

My friend suggested they save a screen capture of the man's face from the security system just in case they need it in the near future.

Everyone remained on guard for a little bit then conversation went back to normal.

A little background on those of us involved:
My lunch companion has had to draw on two occasions in the past few months, I was shot at less than a week ago while walking in a normally nice neighborhood, and the place we were eating at was robbed at gunpoint at 2PM as a dining room full of people were eating their lunches not long ago.


Upon reflection...

I would think that the hospital would not tell someone over the phone that their wife & newborn daughter just died, but what if it was a friend or family member who called him.

What if that man was honestly in distress & was not casing the place or crazy? Why has society jaded us in this way? Why must I question the validity & intention of everyone's actions?



What would you have done if you had been dining with us today?

highlighted part really makes me think something was wrong,
shouldn't he have been at the hospital?
I know i would quit m job if they wouldn't let me attend my childs birth