(continued from previous page)

As lunch wore on things took a dark turn. He started talking about how he could do some real damage in the plant if he wanted to because he could sneak in the side door where nobody would see him and cause havoc before they even knew he was there. He told me how he could slide boards into the handrails of the doors and locked everyone inside if he wanted. He went on to list people he didn’t like that he blamed for his being fired.

As lunch came to an end I was still trying to stay positive, but was getting worried that Dave was going to do something rash. As we drove back he told me not to worry. He said he liked and respected me so he would never do anything to me, but some people might need to pay.

We get back, I wish him good luck and I suggest he try to relax a little and maybe spend a few days just unwinding and enjoying the time off. He says goodbye and I head inside.

My department had a window that looked out into the parking lot. I could see where he was parked from that window. He didn’t leave after I went inside. He sat in the car with an anguished look on his face. I started getting worried so I told my boss what was up and that I thought we needed to call 911. He did.

The police showed up and at first Dave wouldn’t get out of the car. Finally they talked him out of the car and got him handcuffed then they search the car. In the trunk of his car were several short boards, two rifles, a pistol, and a machete.

I was freaking out for two reasons. First, the idea of what he was planning, and second because I was certain he would blame me for his getting caught. He asked to speak to me before they took him away so I went outside assuming if he was going to threaten me it was best if he did it in front of the police. He asked if I called 911. I told him it was me who said to call 911 so yes, I was responsible for the police being there. He then looked me in the eye and said, “Thanks. You might have saved me.”

I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

18. The tenant

My mom owns a bunch of rental properties. Her first ever rental was to a nice Puerto Rican man who was looking to move into town. Mom and I are setting up the paper work and the apartment for him. A week goes by where we haven’t heard from him. Then he suddenly starts contacting us about the apartment but never wanted to meet up. He asks us to stop by one day to check things out (which was really odd). Turns someone had broken into the place. Mom makes me stay in the car and goes inside to check it out. It was mid-day when we got there so she felt safe enough to go inside.

A few days later she sees our renters face on the news. He was shot and killed 2-3 weeks prior and was accused of being a drug trafficker. The guy contacting my mom over the last week about the apartment, who would not meet up with us but wanted us to go check the place out, was not the renter.