"The Dawn Of Trepidation"

This is a story of an armed robbery I lived through many years ago. Whenever I hear of someone being killed in a robbery, the sadness I feel is overwhelming because I know that horror, those last few moments which seem to last an eternity!

Warning: This story is rated Mature, may contain material unsuitable for those under age 18.

I was twenty, and had just lost my mother two weeks prior.  It was about 2:00a Sunday, and I was waiting for my boyfriend at the time to finish up in the lounge where he bartended.  This was a restaurant and lounge called Lamas on the corner of Dale Mabry Hwy. and Gandy Blvd., which has since burned down years ago.  There was myself, a gentleman I did not know sitting beside me, and two other women on the other end of the bar who I believed were sisters.  My boyfriend should have locked the door at approximately 1:30a but got busy, and lost track of the time.  I asked him if he had in fact locked the doors yet, as it was already 1/2 past 2:00a!  As he gathered the keys to do so, 3 black men rushed in with huge weapons which looked to me like something out of Scarface!   One man had a snow mask over his head, the other also had a snow mask as well but was wearing a huge hooded shirt, and the one man that approached the gentleman and I was wearing a stocking over his head; something right out of the movies I immediately thought!  They were screaming for us all to get down on the floor on our stomachs, and keep our f*****g eyes closed or they would blow our f*****g heads off!  I remember right before they rushed in, I had put a small handful of nut mix in my mouth that was kept out at the bar in small bowls, which turned to sand, when they appeared!  My salivary glands just shut down.  As I was falling to the floor, I was trying to get it all out of my mouth with my hands.  I am assuming this was caused by adrenaline from the fear.  The men that were over the two women were demanding their jewelry, and one of the women was arguing with them, telling them how much it cost, and how much it meant to her!  I could not believe this with them standing over her and one man had a gun to the back of her head, shouting, "shut her the f**k up, or I swear I will blow her f*****g head off"!  So, the other woman ended up placing her hand over the woman's mouth as tightly as possible to try and quiet her.  I started begging the woman to please be quiet and give them whatever they wanted, and the man over the gentleman and I placed the gun in my back, telling me to "shut the f**k up, or I would be next!"  He then started patting me down but touching me inappropriately around my pockets and groin area, that's when I urinated all over myself!  He was asking me, "are you f*****g cool?!"  I said, "yes sir, I'm cool, yes sir, I'm cool."   At that point I was not sure of anything, I just knew that I would either be raped, and murdered or just murdered!  All of these different scenarios went through my mind.  Nothing about my life flashing before me as I have always heard, just whether I would die instantly, bleed to death, would I be shot in the back of the head, or in the back, would I even feel it?  I also kept thinking about my sister, and how we had just lost our mother 2 weeks prior, and how she was going to handle this, and who was going to care for her, as she was only 15 at the time!  This gentleman that I had never met took my hand at that point, and started praying, telling me that everything would be alright.  I think about him often, and how he comforted me.  I believe he was my angel that night!  They kept demanding my boyfriend open the safe but he did not have the keys so they dragged him over the bar,  pistol whipped, and beat him quite badly.  Then they just opened fire, shooting the register, glasses, bottles, everything in the bar!  They had been there a little over an hour, terrorizing us, and left with all of $356.00.  The FBI, and Detectives came around the next few days with binders full of mug shots hoping some of us would be able to identify one or all of these men.  We could not.  I don't think they ever caught them, and I have never been the same since that night.  I unfortunately know what those last few moments of your life are like when faced with your own demise!  I certainly know now that when I do die, I pray it is swift, and without the horror that burned in my soul on that gruesome night..      

Reviews

[missghostwriter7374]

Wow! didn't know you went through this. I can't imagine what you had gone through. My great-grandmother was held up by gun point too. How frightening for you. Very good write. Tamra

[Tony]

A terrible story of a terrible experience well said. Thanx for sharing

[Rhan F. Sydney]

A very powerful and emotional piece..Thank you so much for this.