A Heads-Up for Women (and Men)...

I received this email as a forward from my grandma. I thought it was worthwhile to share with you all...

This email message is extremely important information and it should beshared with everyone that you know. Know what amount of money you arecarrying. You will see why as you read.

I live in Alexandria, VA, but I often work in Lafayette, LA, staying withfriends when I'm there. As you know from America's Most Wanted TV program,as well as the news media, there is a serial killer in the Lafayette area. I just want to let you know about an "incident" that happened to me a fewweeks ago, and could have been deadly.

At first I didn't go to the police or anyone with it because I didn'trealize how serious this encounter was. But since I work in a jail and Itold a few people about it, it wasn't long before I was paraded intoInternal Affairs to tell them my story.

It was approximately 5:15 a.m. in Opelousas, LA. I had stayed with a friendthere and was on my way to work. I stopped at the Exxon/Blimpie Pie stationto get gas. I got $10 gas and a Diet Coke. I took into the store two $5bills and one $1 bill (just enough to get my stuff).

As I pulled away fromthe store, a man approached my truck from the back side of the store (anunlit area). He was an "approachable-looking" man (clean cut, clean shaven,dressed well, etc.). He walked up to my window and knocked. Since I'm veryparanoid and "always looking for the rapist or killer," I didn't open thewindow. I just asked what he wanted.

He raised a $5 bill to my window andsaid, "You dropped this." Since I knew I had gone into the store with acertain amount of money, I knew I didn't drop it. When I told him it wasn'tmine, he began hitting the window and door, screaming at me to open my door,and insisting that I had dropped the money!

At that point, I just drove away as fast as I could. After talking to theInternal Affairs Department and describing the man I saw, and the way heescalated from calm and polite to angry and volatile....it was determined that I could have possibly encountered the serial killer myself.

Up to this point, it had been unclear as to how he had gained access to hisvictims, since there has been no evidence of forced entry into victim'shomes, cars, etc. And the fact that he has been attacking in the daytime,when women are less likely to have their guard up, means he is pretty BOLD.

So think about it...what gesture is nicer than returning money to someonethat dropped it? How many times would you have opened your window (or door)to get your money and say thank you . because if the person is kind enoughto return something to you, then he can't really be a threat . can he?Please be cautious! This might not have been the serial killer ... butanyone that gets that angry over someone not accepting money from themcan't have honorable intentions. The most important thing to note is thathis reaction was NOT WHAT I EXPECTED! A total surprise! But what mighthave happened if I had opened my door? I shudder to think!

Forward this to everyone you know...maybe they can be as fortunate as I was!

P.S. Ladies, really DO forward this to EVERYONE you know Even if this manwasn't a serial killer, he looked nice, he seemed polite, he was apparentlydoing an act of kindness, but HE WAS NOT A NICE PERSON! Men, send it to all the women in your life. What you do today is importantbecause you are exchanging a day of your life for it. Make it a good one!Please forward to anyone you think might benefit from this story.

Dee