A Stranger, Me and an ATM

The other day I had a check that needed to be deposited.  I did not need the funds immediately, so I decided to use my banks ATM machine.  When I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed that is was fairly empty and that there was only one person in line for the ATM machine.  By the time I parked and got to the line the woman who was in line was now at the machine.  She had her back to the street and thus to me.  I walked up leaving ample distance as that is the polite thing to do.  I was surprised that she didn't turn around to see who was coming up behind her, but I didn't think a lot about it.

Five minutes pass and she is still doing her thing.  Her back still to me and never once looking over her shoulder.  This bank does not have a mirror or even a window that one could glance up at to see who might be in line.  I take a scan of the parking lot for my own situational awareness and then look back at her.  I look at my watch and notice it has been well over 10 minutes.  Still, she stands there, never taking her eyes off of the screen in front of her.

My mind starts to wonder and I think, does this woman not know how dangerous this is?  Then I think how dangerous is it?  It's broad day light in what appears to be a busy parking lot with several cars parked and the entrance to the bank only steps away.  Who would attack someone here?

I look at my watch again and it has now been 17 minutes.  In that time only one car has driven by and only one person walked across the lot, face down in his cell phone.  I looked around again and I saw a plain white van.  It appeared to be some kind of work van, but it did not have any names or markings that would identify it as such.

Two more minutes go by and I am agitated. I want to tap this woman on the shoulder and ask her if she realized I had been standing there?  Did she know how long it had been since she turned around to see anything?  I wanted to ask her if that white van pulled up to the curb, blocking the entire view of the ATM machine how easy it would be for someone to grab her and toss her in before she could yell.  I wanted to say for well over 17 minutes I stood behind you with a gun on my hip and if I were a bad guy, you would not be in such a good fighting position.  Even if someone spotted the van and the security cameras could track him down it would be a good bit of time that you would be alone with a bad guy. For the love of God, please take a look around once in a while.

I didn't.  I just stood there, looking and waiting until she was done.  I walked up to the machine and did my thing, all the while taking the time to scan and look and see who the man was that came up behind me to stand in line.  I walked back to my car, looking at the cars and as I did.  I got in my car and I was uneasy.  Not for me, but I kept thinking about that woman.  It's been about 4 days and I keep thinking about her.  I know she is safe and that is good.  I am glad I was the one behind her, but she is kind of a symbol in my mind for all the rest who don't pay attention.  Man, how I wished she would have turned around.