I've had my fair share of crazy people cross my path. I use the term "crazy" very carefully. I understand that some behavior can be due to unfortunate circumstances that are often not in the victim's control. But I'm using the label crazy just as Webster's Dictionary defines it: "not mentally sound; marked by thought or action that lacks reason; insane, demented." This is a very fitting description for what is now seen as a degrading and offensive label. I never intend for any of my interpretations to be degrading to those struggling, having struggled myself.
Porn stores are enigmas that seem to attract many different types of people. I don't quite understand why they seem to draw some of the most deranged people I’ve ever met in my life, but they do. Among many of the wonderfully weird people I've met, I've also met some weird ones that were—quite frankly—crazy.
Last February, on a typical dull Sunday afternoon, my arcade was empty, and I was alone in the store behind the sales counter, doing typical dull Sunday tasks, when a disheveled and hysterical woman burst through the door and collapsed onto the floor. She huddled up against the wall, wild-eyed, sobbing and screaming illegibly. She had many bruises and small amounts of blood on her arms and head. Concerned, I approached her but kept my distance and asked if she could tell me what happened. In between sobs, she said some guy was trying to rob her. I immediately ran to lock the front door and returned to the inconsolable woman on the ground. Moments later, I heard someone pounding on the locked door. I cautiously made my way to the door and found a man looking back at me and yelling,
“I didn’t touch her! She stole my $60!!” he said.
Not knowing who to believe, I told him to get lost. He ran off, and I grabbed the phone and called 911.
I gave the dispatcher the store address and tried my best to explain what had happened. After reassuring me that help was on the way, the dispatcher encouraged me to try and get a name out of this unhinged woman, who was now rolling around on my sales floor. As she rolled, I noticed a bunch of M&M’s falling out of the pockets of her dirty and tattered clothes and being crushed into the carpet with her body weight.
“Sweety, what is your name?” I asked.
She mumbled something, but I couldn't understand it.
“Can you give me your name?” I tried a second time.
That time, I heard her say, "Nina." I repeated this to the dispatcher.
I heard many, many sirens in the distance, and they were getting closer. They had sent a whole cavalry of emergency vehicles my way. Two police officers approached the locked door, and I let them in. They went over to where Nina was, and after talking to her for a few minutes, they persuaded her out of the store and outside, as numerous vehicles showed up expecting an emergency.
I stayed at the door for a little bit, anxious to hear the conclusion. I'm not a patient person, so after a few moments of waiting, I stuck my head outside to see Nina casually sauntering down the sidewalk as if nothing had happened. Dumbfounded, I looked at the two officers who were calmly talking to each other—most of the emergency vehicles had already departed. The one officer saw me and probably the confusion on my face.
He walked over to me and asked, “Have you ever met Nina?”
He told me that Nina is notoriously known for starting fights with people and stealing their money or drugs. And when her victims try to defend themselves, she overplays the victim by putting on an Oscar-worthy performance to get away with it. They reassured me that I had not been the only person to fall for Nina's antics, and I surely wouldn't be the last.
A couple of days later, I saw that same guy who had been pounding on the door, trying to defend himself. I told him I was sorry about what had happened, as well as my undeserved rudeness towards him. All was forgiven, and he continues to be a customer of mine to this very day. Not once has he ever caused me a problem.
Things tend to return to normal very quickly here, but I had crushed M&Ms in the carpet for days as a subtle reminder never to be fooled by Nina again.
