MALL SECURITY

Portia
Red Deer, Alberta
October 8, 2014

Years ago, before home banking, I made a trip to the mall to pay my phone bill. There were two line-ups over 30 feet long all waiting to pay their bills so my wait in line was about ten minutes. The man behind me started chatting with me, nothing important or personal, just chat. When my bill was paid and I was walking out I did notice the same man I had chatted with was watching me.

Since it was 11:00 in the morning and I hadn't had breakfast I stopped for an Orange Julius. Instantly there was a man behind me placing an order. I got my drink and turned around. Strangely it was the same man from the last line up. I could not wrap my head around this because he should have still been in line at the last place, paying his own phone bill. "Why hadn't he stayed in line to pay his bill?" was my questioning thought.

I remember saying to myself "There is nothing I need here in the mall so I should go home before I buy something." I headed for the front doors. Just as I reached the door I spun around and there he was again, the same man, directly behind me! I had made the turn so abruptly I almost hit him. Since I had spun around with no mental forethought to do so I was sure then that he was following me and my guardian angel had stopped me from going outside.

I went back into the mall and then into a large store and out another door and got home safely.

I had pretty well forgotten the incident until I saw his picture in the newspaper. I instantly recognized him as the man who had been following me in the mall. He was being charged with the murder of his social worker. He was angry because his social worker had found him a job so he stabbed him 17 times.

I had so many emotions running through me. I felt such gratitude for not being one of his victims and that my children still had someone to take care of them. I also felt so sad that his social worker had been murdered, for I had known this social worker many years. He was a very bright student at university, refined and always the gentleman. He was handsome and perfectly groomed. It is always such a loss when someone with such promise has his life cut short.

My children and I always start and end each day with a prayer and ask God to protect us from all forms of harm and all forms of evil. There is no doubt in my mind that God sent someone to watch over me that day.