Posted on 03/26/2011 6:24:27 AM PDT by marktwain
Sometimes when you are working on a project you sit back holding your spray can and realize while you've done some good work, it just needs another coat.
It was a Friday night, shortly after 10:00 p.m.; I was sitting in the family room with my wife watching a TV program about a mathematician that helps the FBI solve crimes. The phone rang; there was a young woman on the other side that was clearly in distress. With a pen and pad in hand I started taking notes on what had occurred. When my telephone goes off in the late hours, it is most often because somebody found themselves in a self-defense engagement and used force in defense of themselves or someone else. Tonight would be no different, but this time I started laughing and during the conversation. My wife thought I was losing my mind.
On the other end of the phone was a young woman who was clearly in distress. She was speaking quickly and it sounded as though she was trying to choke back some tears. She began telling me the story of what happened, and as is often is the case, I asked her to skip some details and provide me with some very specific information. Once this information was provided I had a clear picture of what had happened. I knew right then and there she would be okay.
Missy, Jessica and Bob were heading to a friend's surprise birthday party. They did not want to arrive too early so they stopped at a local bar to talk and enjoy a cocktail before moving on. While inside, a jerk began hitting on Missy. The jerk's advances were unwelcome and Missy made it clear that she wasn't interested. The jerk was drunk and continued his advances. Bob and Jessica tried to intervene, but it was apparent that the jerk was not going to give up, and it was best they leave the bar and move on to the surprise party. So out they went. Bob was distracted as he left the bar and did not see the jerk coming up behind him towards the two girls.
When Missy turned around to look for Bob, she sees the jerk lumbering towards her and he starts calling her some very unpleasant names. She is now frightened and begins to shake. The jerk then begins to threaten her. Missy is smart. She carries a firearm in her purse and since she knew she was heading to a bar and to a party where alcohol would be consumed so she thought it was best to leave her purse in Jessica's trunk. As she approached Jessica's car, she thought about asking Jessica to open the trunk so she could retrieve her firearm to "encourage" the jerk to move onto easier prey. Then she gave some thought to the other tools available to her. In her jacket pocket was a very small wallet containing some cash, credit cards, her ID and a keychain. Attached to that keychain was a small canister of pepper spray. She reached into her jacket removed the pepper spray from its pink pleather holster, and sprayed him in the eyes and face. The jerk collapsed like an unset jello mold. He began screaming obscenities. Now Missy is pissed. While the jerk is on the ground on all fours trying to cover his face, she "gives him a second coat".
This is probably the funniest thing that I've ever heard on that emergency line. Missy, Bill and Jessica were now in the car with the doors locked. No one had called 911. Missy kept me on the phone while Jessica called 911 from her cell phone. While Jessica was calling 911, a bouncer from the bar came out and insisted that Missy get out of the car so he could speak with her. I told Missy to stay in the vehicle as the bouncer had no authority to instruct her to do anything, and she was safe in the locked car. She was to sit in the car until law enforcement arrived. Within a few minutes, three patrol cars rolled up to the bar and immediately took the jerk into custody since he thought it would be a good idea to resist their advances and to call them obscene names as well.
The police then questioned Missy, Bill and Jessica. The officer assured Missy that she did the right thing and that everything would be just fine.
That was the end of the evening for the jerk. He was brought to jail for a number of charges including disorderly conduct. Then the police told Missy that she was free to continue with her evening. She was thrilled. She really had no idea what would happen to her, and in her heart she honestly thought she would be arrested as well.
Had she discharged her firearm instead of her pepper spray, there is a good chance she would have been arrested. I will not speculate on the outcome of that scenario, but use this experience in Missy's life to once again show the value of having multiple tools in one's self-defense tool box. OC spray (pepper spray) certainly has its time and place, and one enormous benefit of hitting somebody with OC spray is that at the end of the day everyone goes home (eventually).
When the police rolled up at the bar, they saw two upset women and a guy lying on the ground screaming while trying to breath. The gals relayed a story of unwelcome advances and his attempt to follow them to their car. In the end the officer simply told the jerk that he picked on the wrong girl.
Ummm....you think he might be an attorney? Anyone who carries concealed has three things with them at all times;
“Where was this bouncer when the jerk was making a menace to others in the bar?”
A lot easier to take on a girl rather than some big menacing jerk.
That is not what happened. I advise you to reread the story. The lady was acting in self defense.
That is not what I asked.
IMO, the convoluted tale is an info-mercial for pepper spray gadgets and the tale-teller owns or has a financial interest in a business selling or commercially promoting the products.
Leni
Apparently so.
Wasp and Hornet spray is super effective at disabling any aggressor, being it feral animal or human. It will spray a stream out to twenty feet and when it hits the facial area, it blinds and disorients the aggressor.
I keep a can in a bookcase next to my door. I also carry a Ruger SP 101 357 while at home and also have a 12 ga. pump within reach. I've been prepared for more than twenty years and have never had to resort to using them for protection, but they are kept ready. Just like a paid up insurance policy.
Since you are convinced that the story is a fabrication, on what basis do you make such a claim? I should like to see your close analysis of the goodly number of details which you claim are not believable at all.
Sounds very believable to me.
I am a BIG believer in pepper spray. I liked this story. My Daughter in 12 soon. I intend to train her with some great knowledge of survival.
"How about pepper balls for a paintball gun?? If you’re just trying to repel a group of people"
If you want to try to repel a group of people with less than lethal, you might want to do so with back-up.
*Best spray you can legally buy? Wasp/Hornet Spray.
I like that tip. Thanks. I shall remember it!
“Wasp and Hornet spray is super effective at disabling any aggressor...”
I’d never thought of that. Great tip. Thanks!
LMAO! Sort of my thoughts too. You don’t give em no slack do you.
Right. Even though the lady had reason to draw a firearm, that would have been - at that point - a poor decision.
Pepper spray someone, and in five years you won't much remember the incident.
Shoot someone, and it will be with you forever.
Don't misunderstand me, sometimes lethal force is the only option. But it will permanently change the lives of everyone involved, not just the criminal.
***Pepper spray can be very effective. It is a good tool to have available.****
I believe WASP SPRAY works also well as it has a 20 foot reach. I don’t know what law implications it might have.
Thanks for the tip, I never knew that. I did know that when you spray a wasp nest with it, the wasps drop dead immediately.
Good story but where did Bob go hmmmmm? Did he run away like a little girl?
I have at my disposal: .45, Blackjack, knife and wear cowboy boots. Who needs a Bob that runs away like a little girl.
Where did you get this info? Have you seen a demonstration? I am very curious.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.