Doing the right thing, even when it's scary

Last night I had to make a late run to Smith's to buy some diapers. I walked up to the store and was looking at some of the merchandise they had out front when a couple who had just walked past me was now arguing in the parking lot. The girl was telling the guy, to let her go and stop grabbing her. Well, that got my attention, so I turned around and watched this for a minute. He kept yelling at her and grabbing her wrists saying that he's allowed to grab her hand if he wants to. She repeatedly said to let her go and that it's not okay, Then he got even rougher with her. He grabbed both of her wrists really hard and pulled her to him and starting shaking her and pushing her around, all while saying, it's okay to grab your hands, there's nothing wrong with that.

My heart started pounding really fast and I made a quick decision to get involved. So I was kind of chicken about it and stayed all the way back where I was and called out to the girl, asking her if she was okay. They ignored me at first, so I did it again. He let her go, and starting swearing up and down at me, telling me to mind my own business and that she was fine. I don't know where I got the nerve, but I yelled back at him that I wasn't asking him, and she didn't look fine to me. I kept trying to get her to answer me, but she just got into the car. The man kept swearing at me, telling me to turn around and get into the store. He started to make a step or two in my direction, and I wanted to bolt! But then another big burly man came out of Smith's, heading to his car, and started to see what was going on.

Knowing that I wasn't alone, I kept talking to the abusive man. I said to him, "Hey, I saw you put your hands on her, and she told you to stop." He said to me, "We're married, I can touch her like that." I was so livid, and I yelled at him that it wasn't okay. I was really scared and shaking at this point, and since the woman was now in the car (a silver VW) and I couldn't speak with her, I gave up and went into the store. I figured that I would just grab the first male employee that I saw and tell him what happened out there. There wasn't anyone. In fact, the first person I saw was Stephanie Thomas, one of my young women, who was working as a bagger that evening. I wasn't about to drag her into this, so I just let it go and got my diapers.

I wasn't in the store very long, and I was afraid that the bully of a husband was going to be outside waiting for me, or something. So, I called Aaron on the cell phone while I was inside the store and asked him to stay on the line with me while I walked to the car. As I walked across the little street between the store and the parking lot, I just saw headlights and a silver car coming extremely fast. My imagination got away from me for a second and I thought the guy was waiting for me and was trying to run me over! Luckily as the car got closer, and I was running, the car slowed down and it was a different car altogether, some sporty car trying to show off.

I was relieved, but I don't think I stopped shaking for a long time afterwards! I don't know how I should have handled that differently, but I think that I should have. I wish I would have pulled out my phone while I was still talking to the guy and called the police and told the man that I was calling the police. Part of me wanted to walk closer to where they were to get a license plate number, but I was too scared to get any closer. So, I don't know if I did any good, but at least he let go of her at that moment and channeled his anger at me so that she could break out of his grip.