Took my 11 year old fishing yesterday. I went into downtown Tampa to find an area to fish on the Hillsborough River. After much looking I found a park with waterfront access and off we went. As we fished I began to notice that this particular area wasn't very "good". It looked beautiful in construction and maintenance however the people appeared poverty stricken. Lots of walkers & bike riders with grocery bags and sleeping material, clothes under the bridge (up where the bridge and ground meet and bums sleep). I told my son to keep an eye out for anyone that might be approaching us or looking at us. After about 30 minutes he says dad that guy is looking at us. It was a walker (crossing the low bridge). He was starring at us with a not so friendly look on his face. Soon another man walked by looking intensely at us then another followed by a bike rider again starring at us. None approached us but one guy stopped then proceeded. I began to worry remembering a time when I was younger. As I played basketball two teens, after starring, got up and left. Soon after 10 or more youths chased us away. I worried that the bike rider or walkers would get help to come rob us. After all my rods alone were worth 500 bucks (if they knew about them) then our necklaces were visible due to tank tops and worth 200 & 3000. I told my son to pack up and explained why. He said but daddy don't you have a gun. I said yes but I would rather leave than shoot someone. I added that I also had to worry about him so I had to be extra careful. We got back to the car loaded up and drove home. Around the corner was a housing projects or ghetto that wasn't visible from the parks entrance.
The moral of the story is beware the lone stranger that stares then disappears as he might be "getting help". I believe that if we hadn't left when we did trouble was coming. It would have been surprised to get such a deadly response but thats not what anyone wants.
The moral of the story is beware the lone stranger that stares then disappears as he might be "getting help". I believe that if we hadn't left when we did trouble was coming. It would have been surprised to get such a deadly response but thats not what anyone wants.