3:21 AM

There does not ever seem to be a dull moment on the midnight shift at the store and last night was no exception.  I was in a good mood as I had successfully managed to get the work done to have my electric power turned on at the new address which they are going to do today.  The customers had been jovial and my coworker, Sean and I had all the work under control.  We were at the back of the store putting the donuts in the case and discussing politics when at 3:21 AM, with no customers in the store, a young man came sprinting into the store with a a gun drawn which he proceeded to tell me to get  on the floor. I sat down where I was and he place the gun barrel about two inches from my head and told me to empty my pockets and give him everything while his partner with the sawed off shotgun took Sean to the registers to remove the money.  The young men took my cell phone, ID, debit cards, cigarette lighter and my fingernail clipper (WTF?) and about 250 dollars and a pack of Newport cigarettes and ran out the door.  I called 911 on the store phone and Will on Sean's cell phone and had both on the line so I could report the robbery and cancel my debit cards at the same time.  For really the first time since Viet Nam, I felt in fear for my life.  I am much calmer now, but still rattled a bit.   I was shaking like a leaf for a while until one of my customers gave me a good hug about an hour after the robbery.  After the CSI lady got finished with the gathering of evidence, we reopened the store about 5:30 and carried on until I got to go home around 6:30.  I got a hug from Will and then proceeded to check my accounts , order new cards and filled out the apps for replacement ID and SS card before I sat down to tell you guys about it all.  No one was hurt, it just scared the fuck out of us.  Just another night at the corner of Crazy Avenue and Stupid Street.   About an hour after our robbery the same guys robbed the Shell station by my apartment.  Brave little fuckers.  The cops are all pissed off because they robbed "their" store as they cops all hang out at my store.  In fact Officer Williams had just left the store 20 minutes before the incident.  Captain Rodericks drove across town just to see if I was all right and I think I will be given some relax time and a little sleep.   Then it is back to work tonight to see what the 'hood has in store for us then.  To help me and you relax this morning, I have a 2010 performance by the Musica Viva Orchestra at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow of the Cello Concerto in A Minor by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach with Solo Cello and Conductor Alexander Rudin.   Then to give us all something fine to look at I have some manly Men In Jeans to feast our eyes on.  Thanks for the visit, see you here again tomorrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!