Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Would you be a good eye witness?

So, today I had the disturbing experience of shopping at Target and having a dirty, old man look me up and down and then make a perverted comment to me. After he said it, I was so mad that I turned around and yelled at him, "You are disgusting! How old are you anyway?" Then he dodged into the men's clothing area and I went and found my sister who was shopping with Bella in her cart. We had split up so that I could look at birthday presents for Bella. Anyway, my sister encouraged me to go tell the store's management (since they happened to not have visible security on at that time). So, I did and when asked questions such as, "What was he wearing" I realized that I didn't really have a clue. Just non-descript "darker" clothing was all I could come up with. I knew he was "old" because when I saw the sprinkling of white in his hair, that is what prompted me to try to shame him by asking how old he is. I walked around the store with the manager a few times and didn't see him again, although I saw one man that I thought could be him, but I didn't think so. It made me realize how difficult it is to be an eye witness. With the emotions of the experience raging, it seems to cloud the memory a bit. Although I have a feeling that I could pick him out of a line up. I bet that seeing him again would prompt my memory. Anyway, the adrenaline was certainly pumping a little faster for the rest of my shopping experience and I started to think of how much I wanted to slap him or hurt him in some way. Really, I'm not a violent person but it just made me think about all of the sickos in the world, and especially those that harm children. So, sorry about the "downer" post today. Just wanted to vent and bring up the idea that it isn't so easy to be an eye witness to something that happens so quickly. Have any of you ever had to be a witness to a crime or an accident?

6 comments:

Steve and Kelli Fam said...

I don't know if you guys remember my horrible sexual harassment experience a couple years ago that forever changed me and my naive ways, but I know without a doubt I could place that guy any day because he had the look of pure evil in his eyes! I could describe to this day exactly what he looked like and exactly what he was wearing...even his shoes! Before that day I never realized how sick some people in this world can be. That is why my key chain ever since has been pepper spray!

alison said...

ew, that was a yucky experience. i remember years ago Oprah doing a show on being an eyewitness--its a hard thing.

Blaine and Tirsa said...

Kelli, I totally remember your experience and I thought of you today when it happened to me! Sick, old, dirty men! (Well, I don't know if yours was old but he was sick!)

Leslie said...

Sorry you went through that!

Tara said...

Tirsa,

I hope they catch the guy. Research shows that during traumatic incidents that eye witness accounts can be very inaccurate. I helped a buddy in the Air Force with his Masters thesis on this very subject. I participated as an actor who burst into a classroom and chewed out and threatened a teacher. The teacher was in on it of course, but the class wasn't. After I left they had to write down a description of me. It was funny because some said I was caucasian and some said hispanic. For height they had me between 5'3"-6'3" and for weight they had me ranging from 150 lbs. up to 325 lbs. Only one person out of about 25 had my clothing right and at least five people said I was wearing a hat (which I wasn't). When I came back into the classroom to explain everything a lot of people swore that I wasn't the same person that burst into the classroom 20 mins. earlier. One girl actually started to faint when I was screaming at the teacher. So, don't feel bad that you couldn't remember very well, it is completly normal. Hope you guys are doing well, stay safe up there!

Jon

Heather said...

Tirsa, that is crazy! I am so glad you got ticked at the guy. I am no good at remembering details, I couldn't tell you half the time what my kids were wearing.