Mr Dprince Knows

More than a week has gone by and I feel I must relate an actual event that happened to me.  I have decided to tell the story, though not exciting, is real, with the hope that readers will tell me what they would do if it happened to them.

The time was somewhere around 11:30 am.  I   was occupied working on a small apartment complex behind Ziegler’s Food Fair located in Dickinson, Texas.  Their trash dumpster was directly across the road from the dumpster I was dumping trash into from a wheelbarrow.  Three young men exited the establishment from the rear dock door and were to dump the produce and trash barrels into their dumpster.

Suddenly as I was bent over reaching into the wheelbarrow, I was startled by an object whizzing by and splattering on the dumpster, just missing my person.  I was in shock when I turned to look at the men across the street.  There were only two of them visible.  I yelled at them, with obscenities included, asking just what they thought they were doing, why would they do such a thing.  It made no sense to assault me for I did not know them.  Make no mistake, this was indeed an assault.  What if the object had actually struck me?

Eventually, one of them finally pointed to the back of their dumpster where the assaulter was hiding.  I waited for him to emerge, which he did.  Again, the questions to him.  He stood there with no answer until he decided to say “I apologize.”  He apologizes?  It means nothing since the act was not an accident but rather a deliberate act of assault, defacing of public property and illegal dumping.  I merely stood there not knowing how to react.  My first thought was to grab an object and beat the living “crap” out of him.  Then I wanted to call the police.

The back room manager walked outside and I motioned him over and told him what happened.  I asked him if he will handle this or do I need to call the owner, Jerry Ziegler.  Three days later I asked the manager what had happened when I found he was not made aware of the incident.  Five days later , running across Mrs. Ziegler who works in the store on a part time basis, and again related the incident.  She was not aware either.  I must assume that her husband is not aware either.

As of this time I am not aware of this employee being fired which I believe is the minimum that should occur.  Remember, I did not call the police because the young man was not of legal age.  I thought this was a favor on his behalf.  Now, I am not so sure.  What if this incident is one of those warning signs, which if properly dealt with could save lives in the future.  His parents should be notified as well as his school counselors.

But, if he is not fired then i must look at my side of this story.  I must walk into a hostile environment every time I shop, always wondering if I must watch my back, wondering what they are saying about me.  Will they attack me outside in the dark?  Will they damage my groceries?  No, I feel I would have to shop elsewhere.  This would be not just an inconvenience, but a difficulty, since I am not able to get around as in the past.  On top of this, my sleep patterns have been interrupted greatly, spending most nights wondering why this person would do this to me?  Even the dreams have changed, becoming more negative and disturbing.  The stress is not insurmountable, but it is difficult to deal with.

The question is, “Do I deserve to be compensated financially?”  My thought is “yes”.  Then the question to you, the reader is, “What would you do or expect from such an incident if this had been you?”  Is this then “simple justice”?