You hear about this with a disturbing frequency surpassing years gone by; a shooting at a mall, seasonal scams, rain checked items you wanted, lack of parking at nearly every shopping center, road rage exacerbated by the holiday rush, not to mention deteriorating weather conditions and near freezing temperatures.
All of this "helps to make the season bright"...Sorry...I'm just not convinced.
I mean when you're not even safe to go shopping for the loved ones at Christmas time, when ARE you safe? It's no wonder that retail sales are down. It's not only the lack of spending capital, but it's fast becoming a safety issue as well.
Add those two together and it's plain to see that it's not going to be a banner year for sales. In many cases, situations like those above CAN be avoided. Yes, even the shooting victims in Omaha could have been saved, if mall security had acted faster when they noticed a suspicious person entering the place. Then again, if the shooter's stepfather had locked his assault rifle away, all of this could have been rendered a moot point.
I know...too many "ifs".
If the dog wouldn't have stopped to crap, he would have caught the rabbit...right?
But it does make you think what the world has become when we cannot even do some innocent shopping for the holidays without "checking our six".
I know whenever my wife and I venture out, I always tell her to watch her surroundings.
-Be aware of people near you, especially those that seem to be "lurking" about. And don't walk like a victim...hold your head UP...you're the GOOD guy, remember?
-Walk with an air of authority, and yes, it's perfectly fine to put a slight smirk on your face as you stroll about the malls and stores. That alone speaks volumes to would-be stalkers. They tend to look for people not paying attention to what's going on around them.
Ladies, keep your handbags close to you, and men, keep those wallets in the deepest pocket you have. If possible, keep credit cards in a separate holder in another pocket (as I do), as well as your keys (which can fast become an impromptu weapon should someone attack you). Try not to flash cash about, and make sure they use carbon-less receipts for credit card purchases (most use thermal printers ). And it's OK to shield oneself when signing a receipt or filling out a check...it's YOUR identity you're protecting.
Keep your packages IN THE TRUNK and out of sight all the time, even if it means two trips to the car. Don't lug all that stuff around. It makes it easier to get a purse snatched. And when items are placed in a vehicle, do not allow them to be seen by passersby...that just screams: "Break in and take us home". There ARE people out there that want nothing more than to make YOUR gifts...THEIR gifts. And for those of you (like myself) that own a "hatchback" car, get some kind of cover (I have a rollout vinyl cover that came with the car) to hide the packages. It can be a blanket (which you should have anyway if you get stranded), or something that at least will cause thieves to "move along".
And for God's sake...LOCK YOUR VEHICLE. If you have ever locked the keys INSIDE (and we all have done it at one time or another), then by all means, get another door key made and keep THAT in your wallet (or purse), or wear it around your neck. That way, you won't have to WALK home (or take a bus).
You can't avoid all eventualities when holiday shopping, but by following some (or all) of the things I've mentioned, it should make you and yours feel a lot more SECURE when dealing with the "madding crowds". And it will definitely "help to make YOUR season bright(er)".
Do have a safe weekend -
Drive carefully, because the life you save is most likely to be YOUR OWN.