Right. While the guy and gal on the speaker phone could have been on the phone with the FBI and claiming the things being claimed, you have to figure that there is something definitely not right about the situation.
In what circumstances would you perceive a person to be in fear for his life and wanting to be put into witness protection through the FBI would be having donuts in a little bakery with a lot of people and having a very loud, public conversation about his situation? You found the couple credible because they were nicely dressed?
Finally after what seemed like forever (probably no more than three minutes) our food was done and we left with our personal awareness at maximum.
Well maximum awareness isn't going to stop that bullet that you mentioned that would take a trajectory throough you to the couple on the phone. If any of the concerns you raised as stated on the OP and followup comments were what you were actually feeling, then waiting around for your food was a situational awareness and tactical failure. You heard the guy's claims and thought that people were apt to shoot him at any time and that you were in a position that would potentially be in the line of fire and this caused you serious concern, but you did absolutely nothing to safeguard your life or that of your wife.
I expect that odds are that I wont run into one of these weird situations again in a lifetime... What do you think? Am I over reacting? Should I test my rounds on a car door or let this go as a one in a million....
If you didn't leave the bakery after hearing that you were in a potentially lethal position and shot at any moment, I don't think I would bother with the door tests as a result of what occurred.
Besides, if it is organized crime, you need to consider the hit may come from a helicopter, that the drive-by car may be armored, or that the hitter will be a well concealed sniper. Now you don't just need a car door mounted on some sort of moving system (drive-by = car in motion), buy a helicopter (these will get pricey as you won't find many at the junkyard), and you will need extensive counter sniper education as well. Oh, and don't forget about getting all the same training for your wife and possibly uparmoring your vehicle as well.
Come on. The whole scenario/situation sounds completely preposterous. I could see you raising some concerns if you somehow overheard one half of a conversation that somebody was trying to have in private, but that wasn't the case. The story might be credible if you had a neighbor come to your house and ask to help in protection against organized crime, but that isn't what you had. You had a couple engaged in a conversation with a guy over a speaker phone that was loud enough to be heard all over the bakery. It was important that it be on speakerphone so that everyone could hear both sides, otherwise the players of the breakfast theater would just look like idiots. It was important for the punking that both sides of the conversation be public even though in real life, that would be a very stupid thing to do.
So the guy was sleeping with his gun and considering getting guard dogs? That doesn't seem too significant. We have several forum members that are already to that point simply because they think it is a prudent way to live.
The point I am getting at is:
1. I live in a upscale neighborhood and I have no idea where this guy was from but it makes you a believer that organized crime can be anywhere.
2. The fellow could have been having this conversation in a more secretive tone and the phone could have been turned down but that would not have reduced our danger, it would only have hidden the level of potential danger we were in.
3. It made it apparent to me that in addition to being concerned about any possible BGs entering the store or potentially already being in the store that now I had to add passing cars to my list.
1. If you haven't figured it out yet, being in an upscale neighborhood doesn't mean squat. We have threads all the time about people who thought they were in nice, safe, wealthy, or upscale neighborhoods and so are shocked when something bad happens. Heck, you have already mentioned your nasty neighbors in your upscale neighborhood. Obviously being upscale does not mean having social graces as you noted and being upscale doesn't mean being without crime. I live in an upscale neighborhood as well. My upscale neighbor murdered his wife. He was a cop. I can see most of his house from my front door. What was even creepier was that he continued to live their with his mother-in-law and the baby he and his wife had.
http://www.dallasjustice.com/dallas...wife-covered-by-discovery-channels-david-lohr
Also note that successful bad guys, like those in organized crime, will live in upscale neighborhoods.
2. Yes, the guy could have been more secretive about the conversation and that would not have changed your danger level. That is true. However, the only reason why you thought you were in danger is because of the conversation. Being worried that you will be caught in an organized crime hit is over the top. If you had a 1 in a million chance of being hit in the crossfire of an organized crime hit, I would suggest you go ahead and move. I somehow doubt that there are 300 people hit in organized crime hits each year in the US and certainly not 300 bystanders of which you would be. So worry about something more realistic such as one of your upscale neighbor's older kids being a crack addict and breaking in your home. That sort of thing does happen across the US and is a real problem.
3. Any business you may enter may have bad guys already there and may have bad guys come in after you do. Maintain proper situational awareness and the next time that you overhear somebody talking about how their life is being threatened and it makes you feel like you could be caught in the crossfire at any moment, leave, call the cops, or hide like others have suggested. Standing around as a human shield while awaiting your donuts was not prudent.
