I had a little adventure today...

Hamilton Police Services - This is the Hamilton Police Services crest.
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
St. Catharines, Ontario
July 16, 2007 8:39pm CST
I was downtown today, and went into the Sheraton to use the washroom... On my way there I noticed someone by the boardrooms but didn't give it a second thought. While still in the stall, I saw a shadow on the floor (the room was empty when I came in and hadn't heard anyone come in). I looked through the crack of the door and saw someone pacing in front of the sinks, so I was aware that I was no longer alone. When I stepped out and washed my hands, no one was immediately visible to me but when I turned to get the paper towel I noticed a guy coming in... I was about to say "This is the women's washroom" when I noticed he had a gun in his hand and as he approached me, said, "Give me your f-cking money."I very calmly told him that I didn't have any money. He said, "You're messing with me. Give me your money." Again, I said I didn't have any, that I was on welfare and got less than $500 a month. He said "You're lying." to which I replied, "No, I'm not. Why would I lie?" He then asked if I wanted to die. I told him, "I don't care, if I do or don't. You kill me, you're going to hell." He said he wasn't and I said, "Oh, yes you are. Just ask your momma."He was starting to get rattled by this time. I called him a little boy and told him to go home to his momma. He grabbed my arm (yes, the gimped one) and asked again if I wanted to die. I twisted my arm out of his grip and pushed his arm away. He pointed his gun at one of the stalls and told me to get in. I said, "I don't want to get in, you get in." This confused him, and I finally got to tell him that this was the women's washroom, that "women come here to pee and poo. Go to the men's washroom, that's where the money is."Clearly, he had lost his resolve and told me to go. So I did. As I was leaving, another woman was about to enter, so I grabbed her arm and said, "Don't go in. There's a guy with a gun in there." She thought I was joking but I said, "No, he tried to rob me." She went down to the desk to report it while I stopped to talk to another woman in a black pantsuit (talking on a cell phone) that I thought might be security (she wasn't). By this time, the young man had tucked his gun back under his baggy jersey and headed down the stairs, so I pointed him out to the woman and went down to the desk to join the first woman. The desk clerk had already called 911 and I told them what had happened. They sent out several officers almost immediately and I relayed again what happened, to one of the officers, who wrote it down in her book. There were about 4 or 5 officers there, plus the mall security and the hotel security... all of whom had a look at the video tape in the back room. (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the Sheraton has video surveillance throughout the public areas and had indeed caught him on tape.) Then I had to go to the station to give my statement once more, after which the officer drove me home. I was calm all through this, though started to shake a little while I was waiting for the officers to arrive. At no time did I feel threatened, even though he had a gun. Guess being nuts is a good thing sometimes.
5 people like this
6 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Gee, isn't it a shame we lead boring lives? LOL Though my incident when I was mugged that time wasn't half as exciting as your incident today, we both sassed out our potential attackers--me hitting my mugger with my tote bag, and you talking your way out of your situation---I'm amazed at how calm you seemed to sound during this whole thing though...Do you have any idea if the cops had caught the jerk? oh--I guess we're both a bit nuts!
5 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Jul 07
Yes, now we have something else in common... No, I don't know if they caught him, but I think they did because while I was talking to one officer, another one asked across the radio if he had on an "excessively oversize jersey", which he did. (I had just described it as oversize.)
3 people like this
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Sep 24
I was wondering if they caught him too.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Sep 24
@BarBaraPrz Could you see his face? How old was he? What did he look like?
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
17 Jul 07
"Guess being nuts is a good thing sometimes." Are you talking about you or him? LOL! Wow! I can't believe you held your composure. You certainly threw him off his game plan. Hopefully we can all learn from this and be able to do the same thing. I doubt I would be as calm as you were though. You go girl!
5 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Jul 07
Thanks. Yeah, I really was quite calm, so much so it might be creepy... But I walk with angels so felt no fear. (I was talking about me being nuts.)
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Sep 24
Heh. I wondered the same thing.
1 person likes this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Wow you were brave I probably would have done one of two things. I would have either freaked out and started bawling and crying and shaking, or I might have punched his lights out. My father made sure that my sister and I knew how to take care of ourselves when someone grabs us. I would have definately broke down after it was all over with. Thanks for the inspiration and I am glad that you are safe. Take care and have a great day.
4 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
18 Jul 07
Thank you.
2 people like this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
17 Jul 07
That is an amazing story! How brave of you to be so calm! How cool that your calmness and conversation confused him. He probably thought he had never worked so hard to get nothing!
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Jul 07
Yes, it clearly was not his day. I patted him on the cheek before I left.
3 people like this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Oh My! What an adventure! I'm glad you got thru it without getting hurt. I hope they did catch the guy so he won't try that again. It's a shame that so many will turn to crime instead of getting a job. :(
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
12 Aug 07
Thank you. Yes, an arrest had been made.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Sep 24
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Jul 07
Wow, that definately qualifies as an adventure. I hope they managed to catch the guy. And you did very good keeping the guy off balence. People can be funny sometimes. I am glad you kept your head and didn't get hurt.
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Jul 07
Yes, I think the hotel staff were more excited than I was. One fellow I was talking to while waiting said it was his first day on the job. Can you imagine?
3 people like this
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
1 Sep 24
@BarBaraPrz He'll be bored with his job after that day.
1 person likes this