i heart mall cops

i love joann fabrics. seriously, i do. i get all giddy when i get coupons in the mail and go at least once a week to get my 'crafty fix' on. i was deprived for 3 years in germany so i'm making up for lost time! brynn of course HATES this store and instantly gets angry at me when we approach it. definitely daddy's little girl! she also pronounces it "the crap store" which makes steve beam from ear to ear. they are both conspiring against me i swear...

anyways, the store i often go to is not in the best of neighborhoods in anchorage, so i'm often weary when i get out of my car. there are homeless people all over the parking lot and bus stop and they are all pretty shady looking (i'm really not trying to be stereotypical. they really are crazy looking in this area). across the parking lot is a trailer park court to give you a better picture...also, the worlds most ghetto mall is next to joann's, so you can imagine the type of people that it brings in. i am often asked if i have any spare change by people all the time the second i get into the parking lot while leaving the store so i'm always rushing out to my car to avoid these situations. i'm really not a mean person, and if you know me, you are aware of that. i love to help others, but i don't feel good about giving my $ to homeless people that reek of alcohol and are obviously not there. and in all honesty, if you are caught giving money to the homeless in anchorage you are fined! and i really don't need that at the moment. but, its really hard for me NOT to help all these people that are obviously struggling, as i hate seeing people suffer. its hard for me to see. c'mon, i have a hard time saying no to the ladies at costo who are giving away free samples trying to sell a product! i'm a push over!

SO, i had a little incident that scared the #$%& out of me as i was getting into the car with brynn this afternoon. as we were leaving joann's, i immediately had this awful feeling come over me. so i grabbed her hand, and struggled to tote my purse and 2 bags all in one trip to our car that wasn't parked too far away from the entrance. i threw my bags in the trunk of the car, then proceeded to buckle brynn in her carseat when in the corner of my eye i see some guy walking pretty fast towards me on the right carrying a gas tank. my heart started to race and for some reason this awful feeling that i was having a few minutes earlier was instantly overwhelming making me dizzy and crazy nervous. i chucked my purse further in the back of my car just in case this guy was trying to make a grab for it and was just about to shut brynn's door when he started up a random conversation with me:

guy: "hey, i see you're pregnant! we are about the same age, and my girlfriend had a baby not too long ago. babies are great huh?"

me: "oh, congrats. yes, yes they are great."

guy: "i'm a coach in wasilla (as he points to his windbreaker. whatever dude, you probably stole that or got it from a thrift store. plus, i doubt anyone would let you coach their kids) and need to get home."

me: "ya, nice area. i live in eagle river (WHY AM I TELLING THIS GUY THAT?!)."

guy: "we'll, you're probably wondering why i'm carring this gas tank? my car broke down over by costco and i'm been stranded here for 3 hours looking for some $ and a ride"

(which is odd bc costo is literally 1/2 a mile or more down the road and this guy is totally capable of walking there)

me: "oh, im sorry to hear that. i can't help you out though..." (i say this while not trying to make eye contact as he is really really intimidating me)

guy: "oh please, i'm about your age (i don't understand why this makes a difference...) and have really been down on my luck lately."

me: "man, i'm sorry. i really have to get home fast and don't feel comfortable driving you with just me and my daughter."

guy: "don't feel comfortable?! (laughs) it's not like i have a gun or anything" (he SAYS this while lifting up his shirt, exposing his baggy pants, boxers, and basically his MAN STUFF...blah)

i laugh nervously. this guys is not taking no for an answer and i'm freaking out.

guy: "well, if you aren't going to help me out with a ride, can i have ten bucks? i know you have a lot for your baby there (pointing to my stomach) and you can share."

me: "oh, i'm sorry. i don't have any cash on me."

guy: "really?"

this is where i started getting jumpy as no one else was in the parking lot and he was leaning a little closer to me. i seriously about peed my pants.

and i swear, JUST as this was happening i hear a loud voice coming from the side saying "HEY! MAN! i told you to stop begging for money! get out of here or else i'm going to call the cops for real!"

this guy looks me over PISSED, then walks away real fast. i just stood there speechless as a huge polynesian mall cop comes into my view motioning for the guy to get out of there. he asks if i'm ok, then proceeds to walk quickly towards the guy who is running towards the street by this time. first time in my life where i was so happy to see a mall cop! bless you mall cops! i take back all the things i ever said about you guys...you DO do more then drink orange julius's and ride around in your segways while flirting with underage girls.

thanks again. i think i'm going to contact the mall and thank the northway mall cops for doing their job. it's probably a good idea to start bringing pepper spray when i go out.