11:40 PM. I'm on a deserted major road dotted with strip malls in an unfamiliar part of town. I am just about done making a U-turn when a man runs from the side of the road into the right lane, directly in front of my car. I slam on the brakes. The man now is running straight at me. There's something metallic in his hand and he's clasping it to his chest. Is it a pistol? His expression is cold and he says nothing. He is perhaps 30 feet away and closing fast.
What to do? I quickly floor the accelerator and peel out, tires screeching, jerking my steering wheel sharply to the left. I curse loudly. He seems surprised and runs to my right. Everything seems to be in slow motion. I brace myself for the gunfire that I fear is imminent.
I look in the rear-view mirror and see the man returning to the hedges at the side of the road. My car doors are unlocked.
Some experiences make you feel lucky to be alive.
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