CARRY YOUR CAMERA WITH YOU!
I was going on a short trip to the store at lunch time. Why take a camera? (I almost always have a camera with me.)
I pulled into the parking lot of the store in time to see the store manager confronting a shoplifter in the parking lot. The shoplifter was sitting in his car and the store manager wouldn't let him close the door. The shoplifter pulled out a knife and lunged at the store manager. Me with no camera.
The shoplifter missed with the knife, thank God. As the store manger jumped back, the shoplifter shut the car door and drove off.
The manager ran for the store as a police car pulled into the parking lot. I gave the officer a description of the car and the direction the shoplifter went. The officer radioed in and took off. I got back in my car and followed (at a more normal speed).
A few blocks down the road there was a multi-car police road block in front of the local high school. The suspect's car was up on the high school lawn, doors open. The suspect was spread-eagled on the lawn and being cuffed by police. Hundreds of kids were standing around (on their lunch break). Me with no camera! The terrible irony is that I did free lance work for the local newspaper at the time.
ME WITH NO CAMERA!!
So if I don't have my SLR with me, I do carry a point and shoot.
Incidentally, the shoplifter had stolen a carton of cigarettes. Let's see, assault with a deadly weapon, speeding, resisting arrest, public endangerment . . .
Happy Shooting! (and carry your camera with you)
