Prepping for the most common deadly scenario

We spend so much time and energy prepping for the end of civilization that sometimes we forget that we already live in a very dangerous world. I was reminded of a story I had read that illustrates this in a horrifying way. Stay armed, always. Have a carbine or AR/AK pistol in your car, always. Keep your eyes on everything around you, not on your phone, always. There are predators among us. Evil exists.

I am in the process of moving to North Dakota from North Carolina. It is 30 hours of just driving time, so when I do drive, I start early, around 7 or 8 am, and drive until around 0200. I do that for the 3 days it takes for each leg.

Anyways, I have for the most part really enjoyed the drives and places/ people I see or meet.

Until last weekend’s trip back to North Dakota.

I was driving back up here with a pickup truck full of gear and two very nervous and yappy dogs. These dogs bark at everything, and have never met a stranger. Very playful dogs, and they would much rather get their ears scratched than guard something, or even act like they have a backbone.

I was getting ready to call it a night. I was someplace in Wisconsin, just following the GPS, had no clue where I was. Saw the sign for the rest area right up ahead and decided I would pull in there for a few hours of sleep. There were no cars in the lot besides mine. I pulled into the very north end of the trucker lot

Put the two pooches on the leash and let them out of the truck for a walk before sleep. We walked all over the lot for them to burn off some energy, and they were enjoying the smells of the animals.

My dogs were sniffing at one bush and acting a little weird, but I didn’t put too much into it. They finally decided a better smell was coming from somewhere else and started pulling on the leash to go check it out. Turned to the north and gone about 50 yards when all of a sudden, the hairs on my neck stood up and… something was just wrong. Just a flat out bad feeling that hit instantly. Hadn’t felt like that since leaving Afghanistan.

I turn around, and a dude is walking out of the trees right where we had just left from. There is NOTHING around this truck stop from what I could tell. There are NO other vehicles around, and this dude is just walking out of the trees.

When I turned, he started to stop very abruptly, but then just kept walking. Straight at me and the dogs. Very oily in his movements if that makes sense. Had his right hand in his pocket and raised his left hand in kind of a wave. Dressed in ratty clothes and the aura coming of this guy was just plain bad news.

Then, my two dogs caught his scent and went ballistic. They were trying to run AWAY from this guy. Doing a scared little scream/whine thing and trying to tear loose from the leashes to get away. Then, he started talking ” Nice doggies… Sweet puppies.. ” Stuff like that. I told him to stop and keep his distance as I start backing away, trying not to trip over my terrified and squirming dogs. I have never seen them act this way towards anything or anyone. He says ” I wanna pet the dogs”. NO you aren’t petting my dogs. You aren’t coming near us. Stop where you are, or go the other direction, but don’t come near us, or get between me and my truck!

” Oh, brother, but I just wanna talk to ya.” Stay over there, and talk, but quit approaching us. Meanwhile, his right hand, that is in his pocket, is making furtive moves while he’s waving his left hand as a distractor. He’s about 50 feet away now. I tell him I ain’t messin’ around, he needs to quit coming closer because he is making me nervous. He keeps talking in that fake soothing voice people do when they are trying to ingratiate themselves with you.

Now, he’s about 30 or so feet away, and I can see his demeanor changing, like he’s coiling for a leap or sprint. He pulled his right hand out of his pocket but up into his coat sleeve, and he had something in it. I quit backing up, let go of the dog leash that is in my right hand, and put my hand on my Kimber, releasing the safety but not drawing yet. I am still trying to back away. The dog I still have ahold of will run for MILES if she gets off leash.

I tell him ” Dude, you need to stop or I’m going to defend myself”. He pauses, does a little head cock, grins an absolutely EVIL grin, and takes another step. I draw the gun.

He says ” Oh, yes…..”

Let go of the other dog leash, two hand clasp, and take a step towards him. I tell him ” I will kill you if you come any closer”. He starts backing up, and saying “Hey man, I was just wanting to talk with you and pet the dogs.” However, that’s NOT what his body language is telling me. He was sizing the situation up, and started moving to the side going between me and my truck.. I tell him the time for talk is over. I start moving at a diagonal to put myself back between him and my truck. I tell him ” I’m going to my truck. If you follow me, I’ll take it as a threat. If you move at all towards me as I’m getting me or these dogs in the truck, I’ll take it as a threat. I will kill you”.

He turned his back to me and sprinted to the woods where he had come from. Both dogs are at the truck, frantically trying to get in. I run to the truck, open it up, get the dogs and me in, and left as fast as I could. I made it to the North side of Minneapolis before I stopped again. One of the most terrifying 5-10 minute portions of my life.

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