AFFECTS OF THE MIND

I completed some other work and then I began to open this wrist watch, as I removed the back of it I heard someone coming in the front door. I was all alone in the shop as I didn’t make enough money to hire permanent help. I did have a school boy help me clean up from time to time but this was not his day to work. I stepped out into the sales area and there were two men standing there with masks over their faces and guns in their hands. One of them motioned for me to lie down on the floor, neither of them spoke.  One of them went back into the work shop and the other one stayed with me in the main part of the store with his gun pointing at the back of my head. I told them “Please don’t rob me, this is all I have and I am supporting my very ill mother.” The guy pushed the gun hard to my neck as if to say, shut-up. They took a lot of watches and money, about $500 I had in the back room. Then they left without saying a word.  My store had a small area between the inner and outer door, like a foyer in a home, when these two men were in that area they removed their masks and proceeded outdoors. I didn’t see their faces.

I ran to the telephone and called the police, they were there within minutes. I could only tell them what I saw. I thought one walked with a right leg limp. I figured they were about six foot and 200 lbs. to 220 lbs. The police immediately put out an all points bulletin.

When we started to take inventory of what had been stolen, I immediately shouted “Oh My God,” The officer standing next to me jumped and said “What the hell is wrong?” I said, “They took a wrist watch that was brought in here by a lady this morning, I valued it somewhere around $2000. The lady is coming back around 2:00 p.m. to check on it.” The officer asked for her name and how could he get in touch with her. I said, “she didn’t leave her phone number or address, but her name is Sandy she didn’t leave her last name.” By this time it was 1:30 p.m. so the police said they would stay and talk to her when she showed up.

At 2:05 p.m. Sandy came in and when she saw all the police in the store she asked, “What is happening here? Why are the police here?” I told her what had happened and she let out a scream that shattered the front window on my store. The police tried to calm her down then she jumped on me and began biting my nose and ear and calling me names. She even drove her knee in my groin and I went down. The police pulled her off of me and handcuffed her to quiet her down. Little did I know she was the daughter of a very rich man in Dallas, Texas.

The police began asking her questions about the watch and if she knew anyone that may fit the description of the two men. She wouldn’t give them an answer, they put her in the police car and left. I had to close the business for the rest of the week until I could get my insurance company to settle my claim.

When I went home to tell my mother what had happened I walked into the house and I shouted out “No, not my mother”--.. The place was in a total mess. Furniture was tipped over the kitchen table was on its side, there was blood on the front of the refrigerator door and the kitchen floor. I knew my mother was very badly hurt. I called the police. After the police had arrived and began to talk to me, they started taking pictures and writing down everything I said. I just wanted to leave and go somewhere; I didn’t care where I just had to get away. But the police said I had to stay here until they said it was ok for me leave.

I called my brother Dave in Dallas Texas and my Uncle John, on my mothers’ side, in San Diego, California. I explained what happened. Dave and Uncle John said they would come here and try to help in anyway they could. I told them there was nothing to do at this time. I just wanted them to know what happened. Dave invited me to visit with him for awhile and I said just as soon as the police let me go I would fly out to Dallas.