Posted on 10/10/2001 11:45:06 AM PDT by Gargantua
SHOPPING MALLS ON HALOWEEN ALERT
(NAME DELETED) ...was dating a guy from Afghanistan up until a month ago. She had a date with him around 9/6 and was stood up. She was understandably upset and went to his home to find it completely emptied.
On 9/10, she received a letter from her Afghani boyfriend explaining that he wished he could tell her why he had left and that he was sorry it had to be like that. The part worth mentioning is that he BEGGED her not to get on any commercial airlines on 9/11 and to not to go any malls on Halloween.
As soon as everything happened on the 11th, she called the FBI and has since turned over the letter.
I may be wrong, and I hope I am. However, with one of his warnings being correct and devastating, I'm not willing to take the chance on the second and wanted to make sure that people I cared about had the same information that I did.
FReepers... please refrain from the pattern of flames and nay-saying justifiably generated in historic response to such unsubstantiated postings as this one.
I post this not because I am sure it is valid, but because if it is valid, we all deserve a chance to hear it now. It comes from a dear friend and colleague whom I trust completely. It won’t hurt anyone if they stay out of shopping malls on Halloween, and this turns out to be incorrect.
However, the converse cannot be said, and hence I post this just for an “FYI.”
FReegards
If you can get that bit on tape and listen to it, it is HILARIOUS.
One incident concerns Telly Savalas before he was famous. While driving , his car broke down and he didn't have any money to repair it. A passerby gave him the money to fix it. Savalas insisted that he repay the man. Finally the man gave him his address in NYC. Later when Savalas went to the address to repay the man, his wife told him her husband had been dead for 10 years.
Sounds a lot like your story doesn't it?
Later, I told a guy about the book. The guy told me he had personally experienced a similar event. He said while hitchhiking to Memphis from California to attend his sick father, he was let out on a Texas highway by the guy he was riding with. The hitchhiker waited for hours but no cars came. Finally, out of nowhere came a car that stopped for him.
Shortening the story here, the driver took the hitchhiker to the home he and his mother shared in Texas, and gave him accommodations for the night. The next morning the hitchhiker walked two blocks away to a service station to continue his trip to Memphis. He discovered a $20 bill in his pocket that wasn't there before. Deciding that his benefactor had already done too much, he walked back to return the $20. When he got to the spot where the house should have been, it was gone.
Also sounds a lot like your story doesn't it?
Urban legends are something else, aren't they?
"Now, watch: Everyone's going to get an email warning that 'Afghani gangbangers will be shooting at cars this weekend', just because I completely fabricated that here on FR"LOL, just remember: The terrorists were (mostly?) Saudis. I don't think any of them were Afghanis. So if you made it "Saudi gangbangers" it might be more believable.I'm going to see if I can pass this on to my gullible friends who send me this kind of stuff... let's see how long it takes to get back here...
(JARRING CHORD - The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang is just Cardinal Fang)
Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is suprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our four...no... Amongst our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again. (Exit and exeunt)
Gargantua: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.
(JARRING CHORD - The cardinals burst in)
Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms - Oh damn! (To Cardinal Biggles) I can't say it - you'll have to say it.
Biggles: What?
Ximinez: You'll have to say the bit about 'Our chief weapons are ...'
Biggles: (rather horrified) I couldn't do that...
(Ximinez bundles the cardinals outside again)
Man: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.
(JARRING CHORD - The cardinals enter)
Biggles: Er.... Nobody...um....
Ximinez: Expects...
Biggles: Expects... Nobody expects the...um...the Spanish...um...
Ximinez: Inquisition.
Biggles: I know, I know! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. In fact, those who do expect -
Ximinez: Our chief weapons are...
Biggles: Our chief weapons are...um...er...
Ximinez: Surprise...
Biggles: Surprise and --
Ximinez: Okay, stop. Stop. Stop there - stop there. Stop. Phew! Ah! ...our chief weapons are surprise...blah blah blah. Cardinal, read the charges.
Fang: You are hereby charged that you did on diverse dates commit heresy against the Holy Church. 'My old man said follow the--'
Biggles: That's enough. (To Gargantua) Now, how do you plead?
Gargantua: We're innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
(Superimposed caption: 'DIABOLICAL LAUGHTER')
Biggles: We'll soon change your mind about that!
(Superimposed caption: 'DIABOLICAL ACTING')
Ximinez: Fear, surprise, and a most ruthless-- (controls himself with a supreme effort) Ooooh! Now, Cardinal -- the rack!
(Biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack. Ximinez looks at it and clenches his teeth in an effort not to lose control. He hums heavily to cover his anger)
Ximinez: You....Right! Tie him down.
(Fang and Biggles make a pathetic attempt to tie him on to the drying rack)
Ximinez: Right! How do you plead?
Gargantua: Innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack (oh dear) give the rack a turn.
(Biggles stands their awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders)
Biggles: I....
Ximinez: (gritting his teeth) I know, I know you can't. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to try and ignore your crass mistake.
Biggles: I...
Ximinez: It makes it all seem so stupid.
Biggles: Shall I...?
Ximinez: No, just pretend for God's sake. Ha! Ha! Ha!
(Biggles turns an imaginary handle on the side of the rack. The doorbell rings. the man detaches himself from scene and answers it. Outside there is a dapper BBC man with a suit and a beard, slightly arty.)
(Cut to film: moving over Brengel drawing of tortures; epic film music.)
Voice Over: (and caption on screen) 'IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, TO COMBAT THE RISING TIDE OF RELIGIOUS UNORTHODOXY, THE POPE GAVE CARDINAL XIMINEZ OF SPAIN LEAVE TO MOVE WITHOUT LET OR HINDRANCE THROUGHOUT THE LAND, IN A REIGN OF VIOLENCE, TERROR AND TORTURE THAT MAKES A SMASHING FILM. THIS WAS THE SPANISH INQUISITION . . .'
(Torchlit dungeon. We hear clanging bootsteps. Shadows on the Grille. The bootsteps stop and keys jangle. The great door creaks open and Ximinez walks in and looks round approvingly. Fang and Biggles enter behind pushing in Gargantua. They chain him to the wall.)
Ximinez: Now, old man! You are accused of heresy on three counts. Heresy by thought, heresy by word, heresy by deed, and heresy by action. Four counts. Do you confess?
Gargantua: I don't understand what I'm accused of.
Ximinez: Ha! Then we'll make you understand! Biggles! Fetch...THE CUSHIONS!
(JARRING CHORD - Biggles holds out two ordinary modern household cushions)
Biggles: Here they are, lord.
Ximinez: Now, old man -- you have one last chance. Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly -- two last chances. And you shall be free -- three last chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have divulged in my previous utterance.
Gargantua: I don't know what you're talking about.
Ximinez: Right! If that's the way you want it -- Cardinal! Poke him with the soft cushions!
(Biggles carries out this rather pathetic torture)
Ximinez: Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting him, lord.
Ximinez: Have you got all the stuffing up one end?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez: (angrily hurling away the cushions) Hm! He is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!
(JARRING CHORD - Zoom into Fang's horrified face)
Fang: (terrified) The...Comfy Chair?
(Biggles pushes in a comfy chair -- a really plush one)
Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put him in the Comfy Chair!
(They roughly push him into the Comfy Chair)
Ximinez: (with a cruel leer) Now -- you will stay in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at eleven. (aside, to Biggles) Is that really all it is?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez: I see. I suppose we make it worse by shouting a lot, do we? Confess, man. Confess! Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: I confess!
Ximinez: Not you!
Now, THAT is the best idea I've heard all day.
Ack-chewally ms. p, I WAS born & raised in Saudi, and have saudi friends- my gullible friends know this about me- so that will just make it better- excellent suggestion!!
That was really good! Your brain is unbelievable!
I’m hesitant to pass this on, because I don’t think it’ll do any good, and I don’t want to dampen the patriotic fervor which has settled over our great country- but I’ve got some news you ought to know.
One of my friends I grew up with in Saudi has contacts with Al Qaeda. He says that there are at least three and possibly five “sleeper” Saudi/Omani agents in the Midwest/Heartland region of the US that are prepped for a mission either on Halloween or the day before Thanksgiving.
The twist is these guys are apparently kids- like 18-19 year old college students- they’re barely trained, but they hate Americans, and especially American women.
From what my friend could piece together the plan is for the sleepers to pair up and drive around looking for patriotic symbols- i.e. flags on cars, flag shirts, flags on houses, etc.. They’ve got a couple of Egyptian AKs and some grenades- the plan is to select a target at random to a) avoid an ambush and b) strike fear into patriotic Americans.
They’re apparently gunning for our women in particular, to shame us because we can’t protect them, and because they think they are all whores- which is pretty sick given that my friend knows the brother of one of these twerps, and says the guy is desperate to date American girls, but has real bad hygiene and can’t. Guess that would explain some of their anger.
I don’t know what to do- I can’t go to the authorities, because my friend won’t talk, and if he’s contacted Al Qaeda will kill his family. I’m not even sure if I should take this seriously or not. I wanted to at least let you all know what I have heard, and to encourage you to keep your eyes open.
If you can arm yourself, do so. I think these guys want us to stay home, and to put away our flags.
I don’t damn think so. I’ve got a Concealed Handgun License, and the Great State of Texas allow us to have long guns in the car. I’m loading up, gassing up, “flagging up,” and cruising ALL DAY LONG on those dates- They want a piece of me they’re welcome to come on down and say hello to Mr. Kimber 1911 and Mr. Bushmaster .223- But they better bring a lunch, ‘cause it’s gonna be a long, long day. Arm Up. Stay Safe. GET SOME.
What do you think? could we suck in some of the great unwashed?
Well, it was all inspired by BilltheDrill's comment about the Spanish Inquisition (post 133). Actually, I've been waiting for the opportunity to post the Spanish Inquisition script. It was just the effort of html coding (I see I missed a couple of spots) and changing the character names as appropriate to involve the hapless freeper who invoked the wrath of the Inquisition that took a bit of time.
I had always assumed that ultimately it would be a WFTD thread that brought out the inquisition, but here the opportunity presented itself and I jumped.
The WFTD threads are a daily practice in the Spanish Inquisition! :-)
You all can do what you want. I've never been big on malls on Halloween anyway. But I'm keeping my kids out. You may think I'm an idiot, and I really don't give a flying frisbee, but my kids mean more to me than most of you "this is just another hysterical panic". Have your crystal ball out?
1. Don't go to the malls for Halloween.
2. Go to the malls on Halloween.
You're all adults (aren't you?) Make your own choices. I saw nothing in this EMAIL that said they were cancelling Halloween. That's a bunch of hype that some of you came up with.
And gee, whoever thought that 4 airliners (or was that 5) would be smashed into huge buildings. Sheesh.
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