INSIDE THE FLAME by ^BELLE^

(I promised Randy that if he blogged about his encounter with an electric fence, that I would post one of my "Lucy" (as in Ricardo) Moments. Believe me, I have many to choose from, but I'm clicking the easy button today and doing a rerun. This was orginally posted on 1-29-06)

In 1997 I was manager of a retail store (part of a national chain). The hours were long, the work was never ending and hard. In addition to my duties as manager of my store, I was also a CTM-Certified Training Manager. Which meant that I was responsible for training other store managers. I was always glad when they were sent to my home store for training because it meant I had a much needed extra pair of hands and their labor hours were not charged to my store. But more often than not I was sent to other stores in my district to train them, or clean up a booking keeping and inventory mess, or to hire and train a totally new staff. My typical work week was around 50 hours. With a promotion to CTM that meant another 20 hours at least, sometimes more during the inventory cycle.

For 3 weeks I had been in my own store 4 days, and now I had inventory coming up as well as a visit from CH-Corporate Headquarters, so everything had to be in ship shape, and you know what happens when the cat is away....the mice will play...well that is just what had occured in my absence. Very little work and much play. With inventory and a CH visit 2 days away I had been putting in extra long hours. I hadn't been given enough payroll hours for my employees to work over after the store closed, so I did it myself.In 2 days I had worked 30 plus hours.

I live in a county where everybody knows your name, and your business is their business. My Daddy was a business man,served on several Board of Directors in the county, in addition to having held public office. In a small town there are no secrets. I often felt as if I lived in a glass cage. At times I felt suffocated. But more often than not it was a relief. I felt safe. If something happened to my vehicle, flat tire,etc. I knew that sooner or later someone would come along that knew me, or the family and would lend assistance.

The pastor of the church I attended was a local police officer who worked 3ed shift. I had known his family most of my life, his oldest son and I had gone to high school together. I became close with the whole family when they came to my church. They were like my second parents, and said I was the daughter they never had. He was good about checking in on me when I was working late at night, and if he wasn't on duty would send another officer or deputy to check on me.
Just a couple of months earlier I had been working alone one night when I heard sounds in the stock room, then the shrill sound of the alarm on the back door. A couple of stores in the area had been robbed the week before, so with this fresh in my mind I grabbed my cell phone dialing 911 while at the same time fumbling with the keys in the door. I was in a panic, yet trying to remain calm while I talked to dispatch. Once outside I didn't know what to do, my van was locked, the employees from the business next door had left hours ago. I was at the end of the parking lot when I heard sirens screaming and rubber burning. In less than 2 mintues my pastor TopCop was there with his partner, another police car soon arrived, along with a County Mounty,1 State Trooper,a Wild Life Officer and a partridge in a pear tree. A deputy stays outside with me, gun drawn, while the others enter the building like a swat team and head for the back,I observe them fan out, then disappear into the stock room, all the while the alarm is still going. About 10 minutes later TopCop comes to the front door and motions me toward him. I shake my head no.He assures me that everything is fine. The culprit, the cause of the alarm is a tall stack of boxed candy that fell over and hit the alarm. As everyone is having a good laugh and I turn off the alarm, I hear my uncles voice from the front of the store! He heard dispatch send officers to my location. Next thing my cell phone is ringing and it is my Daddy.As I am talking to him the store phone rings and it is my aunt!

Okay, so inventory will get under way in 4 1/2 hours and I am just leaving the store. I am so tired I feel numb. It seems to take every ounce of energy I have to walk. I make a call to TopCop to tell him that I am leaving. He notes how tired I sound asking if I am alright to drive. I assure him I will be fine. He tells me that Dan, a deputy that lives near me and goes to the same church is about 5 miles down the road and will follow me home. Off on the road I go, willing my eyes to stay open. 2 miles past the store and I am away from all bright lights of the big, big city. It is especially dark. I note another vehicle coming up behind me and assume it is Dan. As the lights get closer I see a head in the back of the van. There is someone in my van! My heart is about to pound out of my chest. Up ahead is a wide shoulder, very quickly I pull over,slamming on the brakes,am about to jump out of the van when I realize I didn't put it in park, put it in park, open the door and begin running!!!!I am screaming,might have been crying too.I had grabbed what I thought was my cell phone, only to discover that it is a hair brush! I see approaching lights and pray that it is Dan. My prayers are answered. He slams on his brakes,coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road. I am babbling a mile a mintue. I guess he finally understood what I was saying. He parks, jumps out,runs to the van,flings open the side door. I can't look so I hide my face in my hands, using the patrol car as cover. I hear screaming, it sounds like a struggle.I crouch down beside the car holding my breath and hair brush.Then I hear laughter. LAUGHTER!! I raise up slowly and see him doubled over in hysterics. "I found your kidnapper" he says then loses all control once more. Finally he is able to move and walks over holding up a huge stuffed teddy bear wearing a baseball cap by the paw. I am still in shock. He then places the bear on the back of the squad car and begins to frisk, "Mr Ted E Bear, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law....." How could I be so stupid!!! Then it dawned on me. Our youth group was having a yard sale that weekend and one of my employees had brought by some items earlier in the day as a donation. I hadn't even looked at them, just handed her the keys and told her to put them in the van.

The next day during inventory the sheriff stops by saying he needs to speak with me on an official matter. Looking very serious as he holds up a photo of Smokey The Bear and asks if I want to press charges. Life in a small town.......you gotta love it....

Later Ya'll...^Belle^