BY PASTOR MARK HOPPER
Pastor Mark Hopper
Most people have their favorite “Fast Food” restaurants. The list is endless. Some of my favorites include In-N-Out Burger and Chick-Fil-A.
The idea behind the fast food business is that you can get your food quickly without a long wait. The service is good, the food is good and you are able to be on your way. There are usually plenty of places to park, and most include a drive-thru lane.
Recently, my son and I stopped at a fast food place on Labor Day. We actually wondered if it would be open. We knew that banks and post offices were closed. We learned that other businesses had reduced hours. We were surprised to see that our restaurant was not only open, but packed with hungry customers.
While we were waiting in a rather long line to place our order, a man suddenly dashed into the restaurant almost knocking people down as he hurried into the restroom. It happened so suddenly that I did not get a good look at the intruder.
Moments later, at least five police cars pulled up and surrounded the restaurant. There were well-armed police everywhere. Several entered the restaurant and someone pointed them to the men’s restroom.
As more police cars arrived on the scene, one officer entered the rest room and emerged with the fugitive. There were so many policemen and police cars that it looked like a law enforcement convention.
Thankfully, the police quickly had the situation under control and no one was hurt. The suspect did not resist arrest and everyone remained calm.
As my son and I ate our fast food, we reflected on what had just happened. We realized that if the fugitive had possessed a weapon, it could have been a very dangerous situation with a very different outcome.
We were amazed that the employees did not stop working. They kept taking orders and serving food. We were surprised that the customers did not panic or try to leave. It all happened so quickly that no one really had time to react.
We were also thankful for the quick action of the law enforcement officers. They arrived quickly, acted decisively and treated the suspect carefully.
As we left, my son and I were thankful that we were safe and that the restaurant got our order right. The food was fast and the experience was one we will remember for a long time.
Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.
