no, the photo has nothing to do with the title, at least not to me. i took this during lunch through the glass window of a flower shop. pretty, ain't it?
in any case, this morning, i was at shoppers drug mart (the equivalent of walgreens south of the border) and bought a big bottle of water. as i paid for it, there was a "commotion" - a small girl from the cosmetic counter was accosting a man, mousy type, wearing a khaki coloured suit too big for his small frame. i thought, photo opp! the man walked out of the store but the cosmetic girl was really onto him and had told another staff to call security. a third staff, tall but heavy set sort of followed the man as he walked away. he was about four shops away when i looked back and that was the only time a staff took the phone and called security.
by this time, the big girl was about two shops behind the man. i brisk-walked, my camera in my hand. at the doors to the next building (this was the underground mall/path) the girl turned back as i caught up with her. i asked where did the man go and she motioned to another set of doors to another building. i went up the escalators and fumbling with my canon, i turned it on as i walked up the escalator. one of those times it jammed, won't turn on. and that's when i remembered, the one and only morning i forgot to put back the batteries on. do i fish out the batteries out? no! i took my little nikon out of my purse and as i reached the top of the escalators, the hallway was quite dark although there were a few people walking about. there was also a row of ATM's and the man was just standing behind a marble table facing the hallway. i came face to face with him and as soon as he saw me, he ducked behind the concrete table which was just a solid square so i couldn't see him as he crouched behind it.
by this time, the big girl came up the escalator, one security guy at the bottom saying something to her and she promptly turned back and went down the down escalator. i yelled "he's here!" but she replied "he (motioning to the security) says we can't touch him!"
i stood there, wanting to just go around the table and take this man's picture but at the same time, i remembered what one of my co-writers who's a police officer told us a long time ago: never engage the suspect by yourself. my heart was racing and i thought i am really this close. mind you, i have nothing to do with that man or the store. all i wanted was to get a photograph. i may be stubborn, but i am not stupid. i moved away and walked back to my building. i realize i could've gotten hurt - the man might be armed; or the worse, that he'd grab my camera, and if he did, i'd really be pissed.
when i saw the store people talking to the security men (three by this time had shown up) they told me that the tower or building where the man was is not under their jurisdiction; it was under a different building management.
so nothing happened, but it was an experience. and i was really disappointed that i didn't get that photo but especially that the people involved didn't really care. the moment the cosmetic girl said 'call security' the staff should've called right away. the big girl was so out of shape she couldn't even walk fast enough.
Well, I am so disappointed that you did not show him your Project 365 Badge. http://365project.org/sarasdadandmom/365/2011-07-02
I am sure he would have gave up immediately. LOL
PS. you did the right thing
@sunnygreenwood - there were some pretty arrangements of magnolias and orchids at the store so i will have to saunter around there next week and get pics of really cool arrangements. thank you, anne.
@sarasdadandmom - i would have but i didn't know about it, i swear! hahahaha!
i was really disappointed about the reaction by the store. i thought that they should have called security at the first instance they saw him since apparently the suspect had been there twice before in the last three weeks and each time he was asked to leave. and i also thought that security should have contacted the other building. but they just seemed not to care. they didn't even ask who i was and why i was interested. i think i have better police training than those people. did two years of criminology back in college but dropped out when we came to forensics :-P so switched to law. and hung around eichenberg (who is now in the SWAT team around here) long enough to know the rules.
in any case, i'm changing the way i carry my purse (back purse which i carry as a front pack) as the man and i did have a full view of each other. it would be easy for him to spot me and i would recognize him anywhere except of course if he changes his appearance. meanwhile, i walked around the mall yesterday looking over my shoulders but my camera was strapped in my wrist ready for that photo opp when it comes.
@olivetreeann - really, eh? looking back now, i don't think he was thieving. i think he was trying to do something 'nasty' and obscene with one of the life-sized halle berry poster or some other celebrity posters for cosmetics. if he was thieveing he probably would have just ran away as fast as he could, maybe. but wheni caught up with him, he just crouched behind that marble table and wouldn't move. after i went down the escalators i waited for him to move away so i could take the photo (i had my nikon zoomed in already) but he just wouldn't get off there, unless that table is hallowed and can be accessed from that side and he was just probably cowering underneath it. at the same time, i didn't want to get shot or stabbed just for wanting to take a photograph. as i said, i might be stubborn, but i am not stupid. hehehe. thank you, anne.
I read this just totally 100 percent enthralled. Halfway through, I thought..."Did she get the pic?" but remembered you had the pic of the flowers up. So no. You are brave! I would not have been able to tail after that guy with my camera! Wow. Sorry no pic of him, but you were smart to just leave.
I am sure he would have gave up immediately. LOL
PS. you did the right thing
i was really disappointed about the reaction by the store. i thought that they should have called security at the first instance they saw him since apparently the suspect had been there twice before in the last three weeks and each time he was asked to leave. and i also thought that security should have contacted the other building. but they just seemed not to care. they didn't even ask who i was and why i was interested. i think i have better police training than those people. did two years of criminology back in college but dropped out when we came to forensics :-P so switched to law. and hung around eichenberg (who is now in the SWAT team around here) long enough to know the rules.
in any case, i'm changing the way i carry my purse (back purse which i carry as a front pack) as the man and i did have a full view of each other. it would be easy for him to spot me and i would recognize him anywhere except of course if he changes his appearance. meanwhile, i walked around the mall yesterday looking over my shoulders but my camera was strapped in my wrist ready for that photo opp when it comes.
thank you, terry. do i get promoted now? :-D