Don't Run to CVS to Buy Breathing Meds

If you do run to a CVS drugstore to buy medicine, which should indicate you’re not run-ready, you might find yourself caught up in an armed robbery attempt.

That’s what happened to me late this afternoon.

Steph was right. I should have driven.

I jogged for the first time outdoors in a week to go pick up some medicine to help destroy this lingering bronchial infection. I’ve been toting it around since I left for Japan. It’s the gift that has kept giving through my whole family. We’re ping-ponging back and forth for about a month now, passing it to each family member.

As I was picking up my prescription at the CVS, there was a man standing nearby the counter on his cell phone. We briefly made eye contact. I processed it odd that he was wearing knock-off Supreme labels and was wondering why he was standing to my far left, by the edge of the pharmacy counter. Most people gather near the “Pick Up” sign to my right…why was he so far to the left side? But that was it.

Once I left to go pay for something else I bought at the front register, I heard screams from the pharmacist to evacuate immediately. I just heard, “Get out! Get out! Get out! Evacuate! Robbery! He jumped the counter!”

It’s amazing what you think in those moments. You see it on TV, or hear about it in the news. But when it’s your turn, you can’t help but freeze for a second. “Is this real? Seriously? Is this actually happening?”

I really was thinking, “This can’t be happening.” I wonder if that split second hesitation is the difference in hairier situations where there’s no time at all to comprehend what’s unfolding.

To snap me out of that haze, a parade of frenzied customers ran from the back out of the store to the front. It was indeed real, and it was indeed happening.

A lady panicked and got caught in the line stanchion near the register. Had to help her for a second and then we rushed outside. There was no gunman appearing and I asked the pharmacist if anyone else was trapped inside. He said he thought he might have two people in the back. I looked at the security guard, and he motioned for us to stay put and not go after them.

I chose to listen, thinking of Ayla, Audra and Steph back home and realizing if we were not in imminent danger, this was not the moment to be a hero.

Then, a couple minutes later…the ultimate choice.

The man with the faux Supreme threads emerged to the storefront and stood among us, on his cell phone. The pharmacist recognized him and started screaming, “That’s him! That’s him!”

I admit my first instinct as the man in the camo pants ran away was, “He’s slow! I can totally catch him!” Hell, I was already warmed up.

My second thought was, “When I catch him, what will I do?”

That’s when I realized that the last time I practiced Krav Maga or Bok Fu Do kenpo was closer to the turn of the century. That’s pushing 20 years ago. I’m definitely not in fighting shape.

Resisting the urge to chase turned out to be the correct call. It’s been confirmed that the man had a gun, and I later learned he snuck into the Starbucks next door and barricaded himself in the bathroom until the cops found him.

That said, if the suspect used the weapon in the Starbucks — I’m not sure I could have forgiven myself if I had a chance to prevent it.

This is what I’ll be thinking about long into the evening.

What if. What if. What if.

Puts things into perspective when we dissect our race performances.

But the real moral here is this: The next time I don’t feel so great for a period of several days…I’ll just drive to the pharmacist…or maybe go the mail order route!