Several years ago, I brought newborn Baby Girl downtown to my old bank branch to show her off, as all good mothers would. She was my first child and having worked 8 to 9 hour days until the day before my delivery, her visit was well-anticipated by all the branch employees.
It wasn't too busy but the phones were non-stop. I sat in the lounge area, waiting for a friend to go to lunch. I'm standing, rocking the baby in her sling and I see a man walk into the branch. He stopped as he walked in, that's what caught my eye. Heading over to the courtesy writing counter, he then grabbed a blank deposit slip and scribbled on the back. I watched him closely. I'd been through half a dozen bank robberies before and he looked odd. I always notice the odd ones.
He eyeballed the cameras, one at a time. Then he checked out the doors. He looked so nervous and scared, he'd missed me staring at first. I stood up, still watching him, Jaina tight in the baby sling around me. It was then I caught his eye.
I knew what he was going to do. I smiled big.
Staring directly at him, I started bouncing on my toes as if to console the baby. He looked away quickly, my eyes burning an image in my head.
Blue jeans, nike shoes, 6ft, lean build, pointy chin....
but to him, I was 'just a woman holding a baby'. He averted his gaze to the counter top while stating loudly enough for me to hear, "Oh, mumble mumble...busy, I'll have to come back later". He bolted out the door, wading the paper in his hand and pushing it into his pocket. As it turned out, I was told another bank nearby got robbed that very same day.
So The Story Goes... My baby girl stopped a bank robbery before she could even walk.
-Bee is pretty observant