Hello all. I really need to talk and try to get some things out. I am one of the managers at a local fast food restaraunt. We live in a quiet town and on Friday night after one in the morning one of my employees and I went outside to take out the trash. A few seconds later three men came running up and beat my employee with a baseball bat knocking him to the ground. After he fell they hit him again in the head and wound up to hit me. He was aiming at my face and for some unknown reason he stopped. One of the guys ran inside the building and a few seconds later came out. I got a really good look at him. Enough to get a good composite artist a sketch to work with. The guy that ran out of the building said there was no money in the drawers and that the safe was locked so they all took off running. My employee and I ran inside because we had another worker in there. This girl is not all there in the head. She would never hurt anything and she's a very kind hearted person. I ran to the office to see if she was ok and she had shut and locked the door. I looked through the window and she was holding her head and screaming. Blood was splattered all over the walls and the floor on the desk and the chairs and blood was streaming down her face. Of all the people to hurt...I really wish it had been me instead of her instead of both of them for that matter. We called the police and I spent two hours with them giving descriptions. One of the men had a stocking over his face and looked like he was wearing a uniform from our work. I have a really bad feeling that I know who he was and that really bothers me. Everyone there knows where I live and I gave a good description of one of the guys. I don't want them to hurt my family. The hardest part for me was cleaning up the girl's blood after everything was said and done. It took some time and I just kept thinking over and over about how horrified she must've been. I ended up going to the emergency room to see her that night and I was glad that I did. Nobody was there with her as of yet so I was eventually able to get her to start joking and laughing and getting her mind of from the whole thing. I haven't slept in two days now well this morning around seven I finally dozed off and slept for five hours. Any way I just need to talk and try to get through this so I can go back to work. Thanks for listening.
Really Need To Talk
by Moridin 21 Replies latest jw experiences
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Dutchie
Hi Moridan, what an awful experience! I'm always terrified of something like that happening to me. We never know the kind of person we'll become in an emergency until it happens to us. I am glad that you're okay. Why do you think the crook didn't hit you? You mentioned that you might know the guy. Was he a friend of yours?
I hope your coworkers come through this alright. My best to you.
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Sentinel
Hello Moridin,
Life is so precious. Having an experience like yours really makes one think. One day we are here, and then, something unforseen happens, and we are gone.
You handled the situation very well. Helping the young girl was a great loving thing to do, especially seeing her later while she was getting treated.
Please do a pleading right now the "the higher power", whomever that may be for you, and ask for guidance and protection. I realize the police are involved at this point. But, I could almost hear the fear in your words. There are some very damaged people in the world, and we need all the help we can get.
Take care, and know that you are cared about and loved by many. Your soul is taking you places now, so you need to just "go through the experience, and learn from it". You may be able to help someone else on down the line.
Love and Light,
Sentinel,
(Karen)
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nancee park
I did read what you wrote.Feel free to continue speaking with me of this pain at [email protected]. I will put you and all involved in my prayers.May Jah bring you greater comfort and an easing of the mind which for you now is as a fever. May my own words be soothing like a cool breeze on a summer day that has been a bit too hot. Such things are so senseless and tragic. We feel helpless at times; yet God will eventually see that all is righted, and for now we have each other to give comfort. Many blessings ahead, dear one who has pain.
Edited by - Simon on 9 June 2002 17:32:19
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Kismet
I am so sorry that you went through this. What a scary experience.
I agree that it was very good of you to try and help the girl out the way you did. I am sure she appreciated it.
As a suggestion call up one of the investigators at the Police Department and ask if they could do ocassional drive bys of your neighbourhood. They will not be able to assign someone to stay there but increased Police presence can be a deterent.
Stay safe but try not to let the incident make you crazy. Take precautions but don't let thaose bastards ruin your joy of living.
Also be sure not to get sucked in by well intentioned religionists who will likely try to use this opportunity to 'bring you closer to the Lord jesus". Zealots love to capitalize on tragedies.
Good luck and if you need to vent please do so. There are many good people here and they are always more than willing to listen.
Kismet
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dungbeetle
((((((((((((( moridin )))))))))))))) my email is open all the time.
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TexSham
I would think that the authorities would be working very hard to apprehend these violent people, and with your descriptions, should have no trouble rounding them up.
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Moridin
Thanks for the kind words everyone. I had to go back there last night with a detective to recreate what happened for him with the lighting the way it was and everything. It was hard. I really didn't want to go, but I know it will help the investigation. The worst part was seeing some of the bloodstains that couldn't come out of the ground. Blood splattered on the dumpster and still in the concrete. It wasn't very pleasant. I'm an easy going guy, but am not small. I feel guilty for not trying to do anything. I made a move once and realized there were two of them and at least one baseball bat so I backed off. I also feel guilty because I wasn't hurt and my two employees were. I just recently got a new apartment so I will be moving soon. That'll ease my mind a little bit. But I'm back to work on Wednesday all day and night so I think I'll be shaken up a little bit come closing time. One good thing is that the company FINALLY realized that it was time to get video cameras. They've been talking about it for three years and it took this to get them. I wished they had them a few days ago. Thanks again.
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Lady Lee
Moridin
Please check with your police department. Many of them have Crisis Units that will provide trauma counseling for victims of crime. It is usually free. Go... and give this information to this girl and the rest of your staff.
Expect that for a while you will be having a hard time emotionally and maybe even physically. This is normal. Trauma (and this was a traumatic experience) affects people in different ways. Talking about it helps - a lot. By talking about it you are able to process the experience and try to fit in into some kind of world view although I think most of us have a hard time doing that when it comes to an attack like this.
You may have nightmares and flashbacks - seeing it happen all over again. This too is normal and will pass in time. The more you talk and process it the easier it will be to deal with. Bottling it up often results in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If you can't find anyone to talk to then write it down - even talking out loud to yourself is better than bottling it up. Get all the support you can. You might want to consider all of your staff sitting down and talking about this together. Going through a trauma with others and then talking about it can help all of you collectively and individually. Don't push them but certainly encourage them.
Take care of yourself physically as well/ Make sure you are eating and sleeping even if the dreams start. Try doing relaxation exercises or visualizations to help you sleep. And if you need medications for a few weeks thendon't be afraid to use it. Trauma can put a load on us physically and emtionally.
Feel free to contact me if you need some more information
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Lady Lee
Ok just read your last post the guilt thing. That too is normal and called survivor guilt.
People have a hard time with this especially those who are in charge and men. We are taught that we should be in control and when this doesn't happen we take on the guilt. It wasn't your fault. You fdid what you could and it would not have helped anyone especially the girl if you had gotten hurt and then could not help her. The fact is you were able to help her.
You may never know why they left when they did - just try to be thankful because by leaving when they did you got to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Try to focus on some of the good things you were able to do. Getting yourself hurt would not have helped anyone.
You may have a lot of BUTS.... to this and that too is normal.
One more thing the city/police may be able to help you regarding cleaning up the blood. Blood is considered dangerous now and there are special procedures used to clean it up. Ask the police or hospital about it.