Guess I am LUCKY! Tuesday I was in the cities and thought I would stop in and see my friend Mark at the gun shop. I parked on Chicago in front of the KFC down 1/2 a block from Mark's shop. As soon as I stopped a blue car pulled in behind my car... I could see it was full of BANGER types, 5 or 6 of them. One got out of the car and walked down around the gun shop (could not see where he went to) I got out of my car to put money in the parking meter. The car behind me did not leave room to walk between the cars, so I had to walk in front of my car to get back to the meter's. It was 2 meter's on 1 post. I was putting my money into the meter when the passenger side window went down and the guy said, "you put money in our meter!" Then I said a dumb thing... I said "WHAT?" Then he said, "you put money in our meter or we hurt you" Then I said it again......... "WHAT?" Then he said it again, "you put money in our meter or we will fricken hurt you!" I started to back up a bit, and all I could see were banger types....... 100's of them all over... maybe school was just out? I dont know but lots of them around! I walked very slow down to Mark's shop, and keeping an eye on the car. (My cell phone was in my car, did not think it to be wise to go and get it) . I got into the gun shop and the guy who had got out of the car was in the shop, he was trying to buy ammo! Glad he did not get any! I want to think I was lucky that the guys back in the car did not have any ammo... Well, when the guy went out of the shop I told Mark what had happened to me and we both walked out of the store to look at the car. They saw us looking at them and then from the parking spot they were in, they made a U-turn FAST! out in front of all the cars.......... cars were stopping for them, Lucky they did not have a crash they went so fast..... I guess all I can say is, that things happen fast! you need to be on gaurd all the time.

Not a good situation....

"Absolutely. Happy to -- I'll just step inside that shop and get some change for you. Wouldn't want to get hurt over a few quarters . . . "

[quick dialing]

"911. What is the emergency?"

"I'm in the middle of being held up..."

I am sure that Mark would have been more than pleased to provide "CHANGE" just for the occasion.

I think you handled the situation very well - you retreated to a safe location without provoking the fugglies. Would calling the MPD from within the shop have been worthwhile?

As the Strib says such beautiful things about the redevelopment of the Chicago Lake area, so I am shocked by the reappearance of criminality. (Am being facetious, or course…)

Or on any other occasion, even without the caps and quotes.

Out of all of the times I've gotten change from Mark for the meter out front, only once was I able to get him to do the normal other part of it -- you know, where you give the guy who gives you the change some money; he was distracted at the moment.

(As isn't a secret, Mark managed to get himself in the time out chair for an extended time here -- and he worked pretty hard to do so. But that doesn't mean that, most of the time, he's not a nice guy; when he doesn't have a st -- bee in his bonnet, he's a very nice guy. )

That said, I wouldn't have gone back out, with or without Mark, to confront the 'bangers. Reluctant participant, and all.

I would, however, immediately after having called 911, have ordered a pizza.

"Pepperoni, Officer? We've still got a slice or two left..."

Give it a year or two. Given the money that's going to be moving into the former Sears building, you can expect that there will be a major police presence there. My guess is that it's going to quickly become a wimpy version of the arcology out of Oath of Fealty; high-security at the perimeter to make for a very low level of security inside.

I thought Mark was forced to stop selling amunition by Minneapolis.

In theory, he is. I'm quite sure, though, that there is some ammunition in the store which would be made available -- at no charge -- for certain kinds of emergencies.

That said, I wouldn't need it; I'd be letting the cops handle it, and I carry my own ammo supply, handily transported in a specially made device.

I think you misunderstood my point...

The alleged gang-banger must have been asking to buy ammo. The city does not allow Mark to sell ammo.

I think Joel understood your point and was offering a 'legal' interpertation to what was said.

Yup, and as to other possibilities.

Mark, selling ammo in contravention of a court ruling? I don't see how that could possibly be happening now.

I usually carry some of those special devices also including a NY device.

Good job. You handled it well!

All is well that ends well.