Always have a plan while living in America

Part of living in America is feeling like you are always safe. And 99 percent of the time we are. But I’ve learned to observe and track where I am, especially when I go somewhere new.

I like to sit with my back to the door. I like to know who is coming into a building. I count exits. Why?

Because I learned from a firefighter that in the case of a structure fire, 9/10 people don’t know where the exits are, they want to leave the same way that they came in. So I liked to be prepared.

I was out dancing at a club with my wife awhile back. She loves dancing — I don’t, but I like to make her happy. Some big guys in motorcycle jackets walked in with bulges in their jackets. My antennae went up.

In our sheep dog society, we need to be aware of what is going on around us.

I knew we didn’t want to get involved with these guys. And there were six of them by the back door, two by the front door and they were casing the bar. I told my wife that we were leaving. And we got up walked out the door.

Can we as a society stop telling people to shelter in place? Stop telling people just call 911 and wait? Can we start saying again to people: Be aware of where you’re at, look around, know who is in the room with you and have a plan, just in case you need it.  And if you sense danger, react. Leave and then call 911.