I tell this story, not to encourage you to wrestle or lecture someone, but as an example of situational awareness before situational awareness was even a term.

In 1970, a man named Dallin Oaks, his wife June, and their children lived in Chicago. One evening, June had a meeting at church. When Dallin came to pick her up, there was a woman with June who needed a ride home.

Dallin parked at the curb outside the woman’s apartment building and escorted her into the lobby and up the stairs to her apartment. June stayed in the car with the doors locked. Dallin had left the keys in the car in case there was trouble and June needed to drive away.

Situational awareness.

Back in the lobby, Dallin checked the street to make sure it was safe. He saw three young men walking down the middle of the street, so he waited until they were out of sight before leaving the building.

Situational awareness.

As he got to the side of the car, he saw one of the young men running in his direction with a gun in his hand. There was no time to get in the car, so Dallin stood there.

June saw the young man and the gun. She kept the car doors locked.

Situational awareness.

The young man jabbed the gun into Dallin’s stomach and said, “Give me your money.”

Dallin took out his wallet and showed the fellow that it was empty. He didn’t even have a watch to offer the gunman because the band had broken earlier that day.

“Give me your car keys,” the robber said.

“They are in the car.”

“Tell her to open the car.”

Dallin refused.

Situational awareness.

“Do it, or I’ll kill you.”

Dallin refused.

The kid became angry and kept jabbing the gun in Dallin’s stomach, demanding the keys. Dallin was less worried about the kid shooting him than about the gun – which looked like a cheap one – going off by accident.

Dallin was taller and more fit than the young man and it occurred to him that he could wrestle the gun away from him. Just as he was about to try, a realization struck him. He knew – somehow he just knew – that if he tried, the gun would go off during the scuffle and the young man would be killed. He didn’t want the boy’s blood on his conscience for the rest of his life.

Situational awareness?

Rather than wrestling with him, Dallin decided to lecture him instead. (Dallin and June had teenage children at that time and were used to lecturing.) He put a hand on the young man’s shoulder and told him what he was doing wasn’t right. He told him that a police car could come along any minute and might result in the boy being shot or arrested.

Situational awareness.

Eventually, the young man gave up, put the gun in his pocket, and ran away. June unlocked the door, Dallin got in, and they drove home.