April 1985

In April 1985 I was 22. I worked in a small convienance
store just outside Ft Smith, Ark. It was on the hwy
pretty much by it's self. I worked 2nd shift and had
to close alone. I carried a small hand gun that attached
to my jeans pocket.

On this day I forgot my gun at home. The girl leaving
offered to leave her's. I told her I would be fine. We
changed shifts at 2:00pm.

I was starting out to be a normal day. All the regular
folks coming in. There was a few folks that I did not
know, but being on a main hwy that was not unusual.
But what would happen next was would be unusual.

A small man about 5'7" dark hair 145lbs with a plaid
shirt and jeans, put a 6pk of beer on the counter. I
put the paper down I was looking at. When I turned to
ring it up, he had a gun in my face.

Now this is not something you have to practice for. My
arms new exactly what to do. They reached for the sky!
It took some coaxing to get them down to put the money
in the bag, like the man was telling me to do.

I was shaking like a drunk without a drink. I had just
finished putting all the money in the bag and was handing
it to this man with the gun. This gun by the way looked
like a cap gun out of a toy box. But sure the heck was
not going to question him about it.

The door opened and Ronald came walking in. It was his
normal routine to stop on the way to the factory. The
man turned to him pointing the gun at him. "get in the
back of the store" was what the gun bearing man said.

Ronald for what ever reason thought it was a joke. I
can not imagine why my colorless face was not evidence
enough. The man then turned to Ronald who now had his
hand on a coke box to open it.

The sound was like a firecracker on the 4th of July. But
by the look on Ronald's face it was unmistakable. He went
white instantly. Then went into the back room with out a
word. The bullet missed his head by no more than 2 or 3 inches.

The gunman then turned to me and told me to get back there with
him. I did as quickly as I could. I was scared, mad, and worried
all at the same time. There were lots of adverbs coming out of
my mouth.

Then I heard it the bell on the front door. I told Ronald I did
not know what he was even driving. I peeked my head out. He was
gone. I ran up the side of the store to the front window.

I got there just in time to see his truck driving out the back.
I wrote his tag # down. Then tried to call the police. Since we
were not in the city limits. The local town I called did not
want to take my call.

"I have just been robbed with shots fired do you think you
might be able to pass that along even if it is not in your city"
I said. I did not have much patience with him. But he finally
said he would. I still did have to call the county sheriff.

I called my boss. Then I called my parents ( who had heard the
call on there scanner that a hysterical girl had been robbed)
Now I was not hysterical at that point. Maybe back in the
back room with all those adverbs coming out.

The man with the gun was caught at 6th and Garrison in Ft Smith.
He had money, and beer. But no gun, but we had the bullet.

Turns out this man had only been out of prison a few months. He
had done a lot of not so nice things including killing a man in
a bar.

The next morning the local paper had a not so lovely picture of
me on one side and him being arrested on the other side.

When we went to the pilminary hearing, Ronald and I were just a
little nervous. Ronald asked when we had testified if he had
stared at me. I told him no, why? Ronald said he stared at him
the whole time he was on the stand. "Well the local paper didn't
give him a picture of you to post on his cell wall"

Our gun man plead guilty on the day we were to go to trail. It
was reduced from Armed robbery, felon in possession of a fire arm,
and shooting with intent to kill. To Armed robbery, felon in
possession, and shooting with intent to injure. He got 3 20yr sentences.

I did not sleep for 2 days after this happened. I almost
shot some little old lady digging in her purse. The district
attorney called me after he pled guilty. Said my testimony
was the reason. I had described him almost perfectly. I missed
his weight by 5lbs his height by 1 in. Had his clothes and truck.

I try not to think of this to much any more. It scared the
poop out of me. More so when I realized all he had done before.