Of All People, I Should Have Had Pepper Spray When It Mattered

As a member of the sales team here at Mace Brand, I am very proud of the products we sell to help people protect themselves. I spend my days talking to customers about the importance of carrying personal protection devices (PPD) at all times. Yet, I recently found myself in a potentially scary situation without my Mace Brand® pepper spray at hand.

 I get up early, around 3:00 or 4:00 AM. Before I head out to the gym and the office, I walk our dog, Carley. Though she is fierce in spirit, she is a 24 lb. pug and not very useful in tense situations. She is better at sleeping and rapidly consuming cheeseburgers than protection. 

Recently, Carly and I were heading down the street at 3:30 AM, and I noticed something seemed off. Two teenagers with a flashlight were walking through my neighbors’ front yards. At first, I thought they were looking for a lost dog. Then, I noticed they flashed their light into a parked car and realized this could be the pair responsible for break-ins in my area.

They noticed me, and I looked down at Carley and said, “Well, this could get interesting.” They quickly moved away from us, and I started to follow them. They ducked into a backyard to get away from me. That’s when I called the police and reported it.

As I sat think about the situation, I wondered: What would have happened if they had come at me? I’m a fit guy, but I’m not sure what would happen if I had to defend myself on my street. Could I handle one of them? Sure. Could Carley take the other? No chance.

If I brought my Mace Brand^® pocket spray (I prefer the neon yellow), and they had attacked me, things would have turned out worse for them and better for me than anticipated. I was lucky that nothing happened in this situation, but it was a great reminder: Always carry your pepper spray when you leave the house.

No matter who you are and where you go, personal protection devices should be part of your routine. They are for me when I head out to work, when I do volunteer work or when I’m out and about. Now, it’s always a part of my routine when I walk the dog (or go for my early morning runs). You never know when you might encounter a scary situation.