The most important accessory a gal could own ...

I firmly believe every girl should own a can of mace. And it should reside "on your person" at all times, whether it's in your car or in your handbag - please let these stories serve as a reminder.

My husband called me this morning to pass along two stories that weren't your run-of-the-mill Monday morning water cooler chat. First off, he had a coworker explain why Minnieville Rd. was blocked off with police cars yesterday. A frustration he had had while traveling through PW County a day prior. Apparently there was an abduction of two women this weekend and one was finally pushed from the abductor's vehicle along a road that we pass daily. The "word" is that she was found alive, but I would imagine she was in pretty bad shape. Whether physical scars take a week or a year to heal, the emotional trauma of rape and kidnapping could damage a sole permanently. After some thought, my hubby recommended I get a gun. My first thought was absolutely not! Moment of truth - I can get a bit emotional sometimes. Hey, we all can! But I do NOT want access to a handgun, sane or not, good or bad day, emotional or emotionless. I don't trust myself and have no training whatsoever. He then recommended at least equipping me with a can of mace. Next thought - "ooohhh, that really is the perfect accessory! I should update my blog post about accessories." I can't kill anyone with mace... at least not without trying to, so now we're talking.



Our fellow RHoPWC told me of her latest hiking trip with her dog and a strange, but nice companion she met along the way. (See her other blog for a dog-friendly guide to the surrounding parks, trails and outdoors!) At any rate - Kate was walking at Burke Lake Park this past weekend with her K9 companion, Cannon, when she realized she was being followed by a rather frightening looking man. At first glance, he looked the part of a serial killer - complete with scary stature and aura. He walked at the same clip (which was pretty quick) so she couldn't out-walk him on the trail. He began to strike up a conversation, and meanwhile all Kate could think about was planning her escape, should things get dicey. Happy ending - he turned out to be a very friendly guy who enjoyed a nice chat on his daily 4-mile hike. Had the reverse been true - and he had been the Charles Manson type - Kate would've been dead meat!

I urge you all to go buy your accessory can of Mace this week. I know it can't stop a killer, but it can stall someone long enough so that you can make a valiant escape effort. And if all else fails - SCREAM! If someone plans to hurt you, they are going to do it whether you scream or not. So scream, spray them with mace, and kick them where it counts. Please protect yourselves, my friends.

(image is from http://buypepperspraynow.com/, where you can read up on the sprays available)


Bethany