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It was a busy day at Sin City PC, with customers at every available computer, the shop was quite a bustle. As I sat behind the counter enjoying the sounds of gamers yelling at one another, a face I'd never been acquainted with before enter into the shop. He immediately shuffled to his left to browse over the two computers for sale. I stepped down from my post and with a smile approached him. "Considering a new PC?" I asked kindly.
"Just looking right now." He timidly responded.
Pointing to the larger blue desktop that resembles a Transformer, I explained that it was built for gaming, installed with a high quality video card and sound card, and that it was capable of running most new and old PC games without any trouble. Then, gently touching the top of the smaller, transparent computer, I discussed how it was more basic---made to get someone by, who was perhaps more interested in just internet browsing and file storage. As I'm talking to the fellow, it occurs to me he's somewhat squirrelly in appearance. He has more than a 5-o'clock shadow running from ear to ear, a weather-beaten baseball cap, and he's close to my height, possibly the same age but with an aged face. His demeanor was somewhat jittery, as if he had something on his mind, but I didn't think much of it (after all, some of our gamers were in similar regard because of their consistent consumption of energy drinks). He seemed relatively uninterested in these particular comps I was showing him as he glanced around the store, but he continued to listen without interruption politely. "I think I'm just going to have a look around." The flighty man said as he continued to scan the shop.
"Okay, well let me know if you need anything." I replied, as I watched him walk to the back, as if he were going to the bathroom.
Shrugging, I began to go about my work, stocking beverages in the fridge. A few moments pass by, and a boom of thunder erupted. In a meerkat-like manner, I swiftly stood and glared to the back, I soon realize it is my co-worker, Joe, yelling at the same odd man I had spoken with just minutes earlier. "You're #@^% right you're leaving! Get the &#@% out of here! I better never see you in here again, and I NEVER forget a #^(*%$@ face!" Joe beamed as the guy cowered passed the counter with Joe right at his heels, as I stood confusingly worried. Joe angrily bolted out the door and continued to give the guy a piece of his mind.
With a jump, I left my station and exited the shop, and noticed Joe gripping a laptop in his hand. "What on earth just happened?!" I questioned with concern, meanwhile watched the fellow cross the parking lot, the hopping into a car that quickly zipped away.
"That @#$%^& just tried to rob us!" And from there I was filled in on the details of all that happened post my conversation with the scruffy man, as my attention was drawn back to my chores. Apparently just after I watched this stranger walk towards the bathroom and turned my back, Greg (aka: Conductor, one of our frequent gamers as well as a partial employee of SCPC), noticed this unknown individual sway toward the bathroom then like a ninja, slide into the service center instead. Greg quietly informed Joe of this random character, and that he had watched him duck into the service center. Joe immediately approached the center's door, abruptly opened it and stormed in, and saw this drifter for what he really was---an intruding thief! The invader, was not just looking around, as he had stated to me, he in fact was in the process of stealing a service customer's laptop. Joe hulked out, "HEY! What the @#$% do you think you're doing?!"
"Uhhh, nothing, I'm leaving, I'm leaving!" The would-be robber shakingly stated, handing over the laptop.
That's when Joe chased him from our beloved LAN center. And the outlander luckily escaped a worse fate had he lingered any longer. Interestingly, I had spotted a man in the store earlier in the evening, prior to this event, that gave me a bad vibe. He swept through the shop, with no regard of our LAN center, he hadn't even addressed me at the desk. Not even a glimpse from him had I received, as he directly headed to the back of the store. Greg saw this guy as well. He saw him lean into the service center's window, as if to speak with someone, but just peeked around, then speedily treaded away. So it seems, the (failed) robbery had been planned...and that there were at least two people involved (one of which, was likely to be the driver later that night). Sin City PC didn't just luck out that night. We gratefully have customers who are much like silent security, watching over and protecting our shop. Many thanks go out to Greg, for not only witnessing the attempt, but reporting it as well. And thank you to Joe, for clearing that scumbag from the shop! You guys did a wonderful thing, an endless thanks to the both of ya! |
