12 O'Clock

You ever sit back and think to yourself that you are here for a reason. Not completely sure what that reason is, you just live day by day and scene by scene continually awaiting that moment of ahhhhh...that was it?

I find it interesting that when i thought my reason for being here was one thing...it wasnt because another "epic" situation made me feel the same way. At this point im lead to believe that i am here for multiple reasons and not just that one reason that embrace's you.

It was the end of my freshman year in highschool and instead of going to summer school, i went and stayed the summer with my uncle instead. He decided then that i should get a job and learn what its like to go to a 9 to 5 everyday. He had a friend that was the manager of this fastfood spot on the southeast side of houston called Whatabuger. I wasnt too pleased with the choice of place to work but i just wanted to make some money so that i could help my mother more. He stayed about 10 minutes away so on days that he couldnt take me, i would ride a bike he lent me. It was very hard making a transition from living in a drug infested area to spending a summer in a house that was paid for and having what you needed everyday.

One day while i was at work, i started to get this funny feeling. You know one of those feelings that you get when things around you just feel strange? Thats the feeling i had. My shift was 5pm to 3am and on this day i kept gettin that feeling constantly. So at around 10:30, i called my mother and told her about this feeling and she said "pray". So i began to send a couple prayers up while still on my break and then i clocked back in. Even when i clocked in, i still would pray every now and then. Then i got that feeling again, but this time it was more intense. So, i asked my manager at 11:30pm, "can i leave early tonight, i aint feelin too cool". He replied and said, "if you go down the call list and find someone to cover your time, u can". I found someone to come in and they said give them about 15 minutes. At this point its about 11:45 now. I clocked out and was sitting in tha lobby of the place. Not too many people were working that night. It was only an old man, 3 women and myself.

One of the women came into the lobby to wash tables and started talking to me. No one was in the lobby but her and i, no customers (the place is 24 hours entrance) at all. The conversation went from "how long u been working" to "how many guns she has had pointed at her head before". The feeling i had was still there and she made it worse with what she was telling me. I wasnt scared...i just didnt feel completely comfortable where i was at and soon i would find out why.

At 12 o'clock on the dot, as i was sitting by the exit door waiting on my uncle to pick me up...a man with a mask and gun busted throw the door. I froze for a minute because the entire day felt fake. I was the only person in the lobby at that point so smartly, he came right at me. The lady i was talking too, see him as he approached outside and she ran out the other door. With a pistol pointed in my face, the guy said, "this is a robbery, get on the ground". I was still just froze and then he took the pistol and stuck it in my face between my eye and nose and repeated himself. I snapped into reality and realized what was going on and went to the floor.

Facing down on the ground, he grabbed the collar of my shirt and was pulling me to the front of the cash register. I guess i wasnt moving fast enough because he started to kick me and say, "i aint playing, move or imma kill you". When he kicked me, i got upset and said, "hold up bruh" then he took the gun and stuck in the back of my head and i thought i was about to die. My mothers face appeared in front of me and then faces of each one of my family member...flash after flash.

He got me to the front of the register and started to round up my co-workers. He told them all to lay down on top of each other. I was there on the ground first so they laid on me and without even thinking, i pulled myself from the bottom and got on top. I thought that because they were in their 50's and 60's it would be harder for them to survive a shot appose to myself.

You could tell that the guy was rattled and didnt know what to do. He then told us to get up and walk to the freezer. On the way to the freezer, you have to pass through the kitchen and it was knives laying out and sharp things that could hurt him and thoughts of me grabbing something was very much alive. But, i remembered that the policy was, "let the robber get what he want and leave". Plus, i didnt want to put anyone else in danger. The guy was skinny and i could have easily hurt him with no problem but what he had in his hand was the issue.

We all went to the freezer, and he shut us in. He opened the door back up and said, "which one of you is the manager". He took her out and then the 1 lady left in there with us started to cry and pray to God out loud. I was still kind of stun so i had a blank look on my face. About 10 seconds later we heard a gun shot...we all jumped and the 1 lady dropped to the floor screaming. Then seconds later the manager opened the door and said, "he's gone, he's gone".

When he took the manager out, the lady that ran when he pulled up outside, was trying to look through the drive thru window to see what was going on...he took a shot at her and then ran. He never got any money, didnt even hurt no one, but what he did manage to do, was etch a bad moment in the minds of people that were there that day.

I think the reason im here, is to allow people to relate with me in some way. I have been through alot and i think God allowed me to live yet another time...so that i can share these stories with people to help them somehow.

So whatever you think you reason is, embrace it as quick as possible because the only thing thats constant...is change...and soon that reason will as well.