Close Encounter With Stick-Up Men

this is a .45 but you get the idea.

 Working at Speedy Money could be an adventure as I soon found out.

One day I came in and was getting ready to do my bank run when a customer came in early and asked to use the restroom (Big Red Flag I missed). The person at the counter let him know we did not have a public restroom. I got the deposit ready to take to our bank and headed out my car the same as I did every morning. I saw a few people waiting in a car and thought customers waiting for us to open. I climbed into my car and was about to turn it on when I felt something on my side. I turned to see what it was and there was this dude squatted next to me holding a 9mm to my side. My day had just gone south.

“Do what I say and you won’t get hurt.” He said calmly like a guy who made his living this way.

The more scary part was he wore no mask. I looked at my lap the whole time and kept calm.

“What’s in that bag?” He was referring to the deposit bag.

“A little cash and some checks.”

“Hand it to me.”

I slowly passed it to him.

“How much money is inside” He asked in a calm voice.

I knew it was not much and gave him a pretty close estimate. If I was off or gave the wrong amount somebody could get shot and our Collections Manager, Heidi was four months pregnant. That’s what worried me the most as the scene slowly unfolded.

“You stat right here until we’re gone.” He said as he removed my keys from the ignition and stepped back. Everything was vivid. I could see the threads on my pants and the stitching on the steering wheel. It was a perfect sunny day. I ventured a glance in the rearview mirror and helplessly watched as three people trotted into the store with my robber. I waited. They quickly emerged and I rediscovered how interesting threads and stitching could be. They drove off a little quick but not too quick. They had done this before.

I could not run but I made it back inside pretty damn fast and found no one was hurt but all were badly shaken. Two of the new collectors were holding each other praying another was crying and Heidi was a little stunned. She had called the cops as well as Chris and Jeff (the owners of Speedy money). The cops came and got statements and descriptions from us and Chris gave us the day off. Jeff was enraged but soon calmed down. Soon everyone was gone but Jeff and I. For nothing better to do, we reopened and I decided to stay. I saw no advantage in going home and stewing about what had happened. It would not be my last robbery. Understandably, I never saw Heidi again. The other collectors all came back. One of them was picked to take Heidi’s place. The family had other plans for me.

Johnny (the big boss above even Chris and Jeff) came and took me to lunch one day. “Paul, how would you feel about training new employees for the company?”

It was an offer I could not refuse...