I Think I Saved My Friend From Getting Trafficked

Back in May 2024, I'd (32f) recently been let go from a job due to company downsizing, but I was getting paid severance as well as had a good portion of money saved up in my retirement fund, so I was taking a small break before picking up another job. My best friend (28f) had just inherited a car from her family back in California and she wanted to fly back there to pick it up and drive it back New Orleans. She also missed home and wanted to spend around 2 weeks in Cali before driving back across the States for another 2 weeks so we could take time to see some sights along the way, and since I was job free and had never seen Cali before, she asked if I'd wanna join her on the road trip, even offered to cover my plane ticket, hotel/airbnb stays, and the gas, so all I'd have to pitch in with is my own food. I thought that was really overly generous, but she assured me that it literally wasn't gonna put a dent on her funds since she had a ton saved up and was well off. She just thought for one, she'd feel safer going on a road trip with a trusted friend, plus it would be a fun friend trip for the both of us. So I agreed.

As someone who was born and raised on the East Coast, I thought Cali was a huge change and pretty amazing. Loved the fresh air and the lack of intense humidity. After collecting the car, we started driving East through Nevada, then Utah, then ended up in Wyoming. Right after crossing the Wyoming border, we stopped for gas and some snacks. We weren't hungry enough to stop into the diner next to the gas station. My friend loves photography though and wanted to pull up to the Wyoming Welcome Center across the street to take a picture of the surrounding cliffs and the railroad that was cutting through the lower canyon. Let me paint you the picture. Aside from the small gas station and diner across the street and the little welcome center across from them with the Welcome to Wyoming sign, this area was pretty empty. It was only us parked at the Welcome Center and about 2 cars parked at the Diner across the street.

While my friend went to snap pictures of the canyon and railroad, I stayed in the car to lounge because I wasn't feeling great. I get hit with vertigo spells and migraines and was trying to rest it off. But out of nowhere, this guy saunters up behind her. Didn't call out when approaching her to alert her of his presence. Only said something when she whipped around and saw him. Even though I was reclined in the passenger seat of the car, I sat up immediately. I couldn't hear what the guy was saying to her and she was just responding as calmly as possible to what he said, but made a slight hand signal to me in the car. I grabbed the keys out of the ignition because it was the only weapon I had available and got out of the car, plus, I didn't want to risk him bolting for the car and driving off with it.

When I got out of the car, the guy looked surprised to see me there and his entire demeanor seemed to grow shifty. "Hey, what's up?" I asked, direct but casual. He said he was just wondering if she could help him take a picture of him with his phone by the Welcome to Wyoming sign by the road. Now, my friend or I could've said 'Nah, sorry' but you really never know how someone is gonna react to being told no. He had a hand in his pocket and I really couldn't tell if he was holding a weapon out of sight or not.

As crazy as it seems, we agreed to help him out. While she played nice girl and chatted with him on the way to the sign, I followed closely behind them both to watch him. The entire way towards the sign, the guy kept faltering in his steps like he was trying to slow down enough until we were ahead of him, but I didn't allow that. I would just stop and wait until he kept walking. He never looked back at me, but he was acting tense and fidgety. I had the car keys between my fingers, just in case I might have to jab him if he lashed out at a moment's notice. I also glanced at the diner across the street to make sure we stayed in view of it, though one never knows if people will actually assist or if they'll just go into bystander mode, so I had to stay alert. After all, if anything happened, it wasn't like law enforcement would appear out of thin air to resolve an issue.

The entire time we walked towards the welcome billboard, I listened to their conversation as well. The guy claimed he was in the States on a business trip with his co-workers. Said he was from Brazil, but he sounded Slavic. (Not saying you can't be Slavic and live in Brazil, just giving the details I noticed.) He had a slight tan, very short dark hair, and a lean build, maybe 5'10"-6ft. My friend and I are about 5'5"/5'6", but I'm more built muscle-wise. I've been told I look a little intimidating for a woman, which perhaps was a good thing in this situation. My friend asked where his co-workers were and he claimed they were at the diner across the street, yet he hadn't parked his car there, which I thought was odd. His car was parked closest to the road of the Welcome Center. My vertigo and headache were completely forgotten, because I was running on pure adrenaline. Everything was happening in slow motion and my mind was racing with every possible scenario that could happen so I could mentally prepare myself for what could happen next.

When we got to the billboard, he gave my friend his phone and she took his picture in front of the billboard twice. When he came back to look at the photos and was like 'These are good. Nice. Thanks so much.' He then kept rambling and asking how we liked America and if we'd ever traveled outside the country before. I was becoming even more uneasy because we were still just standing there by the road and I kept glancing to see if any cars were coming. I swear we stood there for like 5 whole minutes before he finally started walking back to his car. In a very slow shuffle, I might add. It was like he was purposefully stalling and once again kept trying to get behind me. No dice. While his back was turned, I bent to stuff some gravel and sand into my pocket. I wanted every possible weapon at my disposal. We walked a little more and I bent down again while he wasn't looking to pick up a fist-rock and just hid it slightly behind me so he couldn't see it. My mind was already preparing to rationalize beating this guy's skull in if I had to.

When we got to the parking lot, my friend and I stopped and he finally looked back and stopped before glancing back to his car and then at us. He starts rambling again and making more conversation. He didn't urge us to go back to his car, but he was once again, stalling. Literally, he'd finish a topic, go quiet for a couple of seconds and then ask us another question or bring up another topic to keep us talking. This went on for another five minutes and then I finally said, "Well, we better get back on the road. We're expected." And he looked a little uneasy before finally saying "Oh. Well, okay. Thanks for the help. Goodbye." And he turned to walk very briskly to his car. My friend almost headed right for our car, but I stopped her and said "Wait. I wanna make sure he drives off first." Remember, he said his co-workers were at the diner across the street, plus, I didn't want to run the risk of us getting in our car and being followed.

This guy sat in his car for a few minutes and my friend and I pretended we were talking just in case he was watching us and then finally, he drove off. We stayed there until we couldn't see his car anymore. Then we went back to our car. Both of us were shaking. Sometimes you just KNOW something is off. My friend said she felt like the guy was gonna try and traffick her and said 'I'm so glad I brought you with me on this trip, cuz holy shit! You looked like a German Shepherd when you sat up in the car when I signaled you.'

I've never really been in a fight in my life. I've been lucky enough that I've never really had to. I've had close calls, but have always managed to de-escalate a situation before it got physical and perhaps this was yet another one of those times. But I had never been more prepared to kill someone if it meant my friend and I could get outta there with our lives intact. I mentally prepared myself to do the unthinkable. Even imagined tossing that guy off the cliff if I had to. It was pretty scary. Needless to say, we both bought ourselves some mace at the next stop. Didn't run into any further problems in our trip, but I'll never forget all the details that happened with that encounter. Something was just OFF about the way that guy was acting towards us. Who knows, maybe he was scared of us or me after I stepped out of the car and thought we were about to Thelma & Louise his ass. And that's fine by me. I'd rather a man think twice out of fear before preying on a woman.

All of that being said. You go on a road trip, try to have someone with you if possible and stay alert when you stop anywhere. Keep aware of your surroundings. Keep an eye on the threat. Be prepared to use anything you can at your disposal.