Have you ever had a gun in your face?

Thursday night, February 26th, 2009, Amber, Katie, and I decided to go to Denny's after work. We do this about once, sometimes twice, a month to unwind from usually a crazy night in our Memory Care unit. Normally as well when we go out we tend to loose track of time and stay relaxing until around 2 in the morning. That night we were all very exhausted. In fact, Katie was starting to fall asleep on the bench. So finally about midnight I decided to stand up to get us all moving so we can go home and sleep. As I am standing there talking to the girls I heard a guy yelling at me. I could tell someone was on the other side of our booth but at that moment hadn't turned yet to get a clear look. I started to laugh because I honestly thought that he must know me and is just joking around with me. (No, he did not yell my name). I turned to look and quickly stopped laughing. I saw a guy wearing a red bandanna over his mouth and nose and black clothing from his head down to his toes. Then even more quickly I saw as he proceeded to pull a gun up from his side and point it directly at my face. He then yelled at me to get over "there". My first thoughts from that point was "what is going on" and then " Holy How, Denny's is getting robbed. I of course obeyed and started walking over to the direction that he pointed for me to go. He had then noticed my friend Amber touching her phone. She was going to try and dial 911 while she continued to look at him. The guy saw the light go on her phone, picked it up while then pointing the gun at her. He started yelling about no phones, no phone calls. Apparently there were some explicitives mixed in there. I however do not recall him laying down the f-bomb.

After chucking her phone back at her he quickly rushed to me with gun in hand ...at my face....and demanded me to open the register. I realized that he thought I wored there as a waitress. It makes perfect sense though....I was wearing my name badge from work still as well as my apron and when he came in the restaurant I was standing in front of my table. I would have mistaken me to be a waitress. I guarantee I will never do that again. My badge will be coming off as well as my apron when we go out from now on. Hoping he would believe, especially with not knowing what he would do if he did not believe me, I told him that I did not work there and that I work somewhere. I was pointing to my name badge at the time. Luckily he did believe me. He ran and found a waitress and made her open the register. It was at that point that I realized that there were actually two men. I was so fixated on the gun in front of my face that I didn't even notice another man. I can't tell you much about the other guy. All I know is that he was dressed the same and was a little bit shorter than the first guy. Whether he had a gun or not, I do not know! After they got there money, a measly $200, they ran off...on foot. The police were called as soon as they left and from what I was told they had brought police dogs with them. Channel 13 also came. We had to stay and fill out police reports.

It is rather interesting though the things that go through your mind as all this is happening. First of all everything happened so quickly yet it was almost as if it was going so slowly. It was very surreal. The waitress made reference to everything as being all sparkly. It kind of seemed that way. You wonder "did this really just happen. Some other thoughts of mine were, when he was pointing the gun at me...."Your gun looks fake, my gun looks way more real than your gun". Although, I don't have a concealed weapons permit, therefore, the gun stays home. Even though I was thinking that, you still have to be careful because even though it looked fake it just as easily could have been real.

My friends did also mention through comments about the guy touching me and pulling me or something, I don't remember that. A gentleman that was there as well as a customer had made comment about how my friends and I responded to the situation. He said that I kept my cool and handled the situation very well, remarkably. He said that my friend Katie was Wicked Pissed. That is definitely Katie. It is a good thing she wasn't the one standing..who knows what would have happened. Haha! Then he mentioned how Amber had a deer in the headlights kind of look. Also very true.

I know there were some there that had thoughts immediately of there families and kids...maybe even life, especially with not knowing what the outcome of the situation would be. I however did not have any thoughts like that. I was too focused on the gun in front of my face and making sure I did what he asked so hopefully I wouldn't get hurt.

You hear about things like this happening but you never really picture yourself in a situation where it will happen to you. I don't ask this on anyone. It could happen to anyone though. Wrong place, wrong time. It does make you look at your life and realize how precious life really is. AND of course it makes your heart feel like it just wants to jump out of your body and you have to hold your hand there so it doesn't jump out. Is your life in order? Do you feel like you are ready to die at any moment? Do your loved ones always know you love them? Have you left on good terms?