This is one of those where it happened for the first time in my
entire life. It brings a new meaning to some of the things I do, and
makes me realize that yes, while I realize I'm not invincible, I truly
am not.
On Saturday, 10/12/2013, I went to work. I got
there at 11:15a, and worked until 8:15p. It was just another day at
work. I was at the self checkout for the first half of my shift. I went
to lunch, played on my new phone, whatever. I sat in my car to listen to
musics while I did so. I get back from lunch, and get sent down to
Register 2, which is the lumber department area. Wood, building stuffs,
ecetera. I do my thing, and start helping customers. I take some cash,
and ignore the warning to remove some cash from the drawer, as I take
one cash transaction for every ten debit card transactions. I walk in a
slow circle, had enabled my S health on my phone, and watch my steps
counter go up. I realize the step counter is a little off, as it lags. I
shrug and just keep walking the small circles. I help the customers
that come up, glad to be doing something instead of being bored. It was
rather quiet at that end of the store, no customers really, just the
tool rental person doing his thing. I go to break, and come back, to do
the same thing. Then things get rather interesting and scarey..
He
came around the corner as I was looking at my phone for a moment. I see
him come to the register, put my phone away, and do my intro and
whatnot. He has a LED lantern and asks me to see if this was the store
he bought it from. I go to hit the price check button and grab the
handheld scanner. As I turn back to look for the UPC, he pulls a gun on
me. He tells me to open the register drawer and give him everything in
it. At first I thought he was joking, but when I look up, and see the
gun pointed at me. my fight or flight kicks in immediately. In less than a tenth of a second, my brain runs through self defense moves, none of which would be effective with a counter between us. Shock sets in, my hands start shaking as I use every ounce of will power I have to keep my cool, and attempt to open the register. First attempt didn't work, which was a "No Sale" option. It required a managers over ride. He kept telling me to hurry up, asking me why it was taking so long. By the time I thought of scanning a asprin thing, I was fully in shock. Clammy skin, shaking hands, constant adrenaline dump, hyper acute senses. I scan the item, total it, exact cash it, then he tells me to dump it all into his duffel bag. So I did. Money till and everything. He wanted the cash under, so I gave it to him. Then he left.
I called Loss Prevention, and told him he needed to come to register 2. I then told him why. I had a couple of customers after this, I shut off my light, as LP gets register 1 opened. I call the MoD, and told her she needed to come to my register. At first, she thought I was kidding, but then she realized I wasn't. She ran form the back of the store, to where I was. My FES was there as well. While I was appearing cool, and collect on the outside, I was scared shitless inside. It took a lot out of me to keep that way. My FES was more shaken than I was appearing to be, as well as my MoD. Police came, asked me questions, and did their job. The night ended with me being escorted to my vehicle by LP and another associate. I then drove home.
I kept this to myself for at least a day, as to not freak anyone out. I needed a bit to process it. I didn't need everyone flipping out. I needed time to acclimate to this, to adjust. No one got hurt, which is good. My anxiety does escalate quickly when I do go down in the area of register 2 now. Clammy skin, shaking of the hands, all that starts over when I go down there.
http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/Colorado-Springs-Home-Depot-Store-Robbed-227554521.html
I was the cashier in that story.
Having a gun pointed at me was one of the scariest things to ever happen to me. It will be with me for a very long time.
