A woman stopped at a pay-at-the-pump gas station to get gas. Once she filled her gas tank and after paying at the pump and starting to leave, the voice of the attendant inside came over the speaker. He told her that something happened with her card and that she needed to come inside to pay. The lady was confused because the transaction showed complete and approved. She relayed that to him and was getting ready to leave but the attendant, once again, urged her to come in to pay or there’d be trouble. She proceeded to go inside and started arguing with the attendant about his threat. He told her to calm down and listen carefully: He said that while she was pumping gas, a guy slipped into the back seat of her car on the other side and the attendant had already called the police. She became frightened and looked out in time to see her car door open and the guy slip out. The report is that the new gang initiation thing is to bring back a woman and/or her car.. One way they are doing this is crawling under women’s cars while they’re pumping gas or at grocery stores in the nighttime The other way is slipping into unattended cars and kidnapping the women.

Please pass this on to other women, young and old alike. Be extra careful going to and from your car at night. If at all possible, don’t go alone!  This is real!!

The message:

1. ALWAYS lock your car doors, even if you’re gone for just a second!

2. Check underneath your car when approaching it for reentry, and check in the back before getting in.

3. Always be aware of your surroundings and of other individuals in your general vicinity, particularly at night!

Send this to everyone so your friends can take precaution.

AND GUYS…YOU TELL ANY WOMEN YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS Thanks,

Barbara Baker, Secretary Directorate of Training U.S. Army Military Police School.

THIS IS VERY SERIOUS … PLEASE DO NOT DELETE IT! PLEASE PASS IT ON!!

Makini sent this to me in an email.  She says that she did not really believe the email but felt that she should send it to her female friends just in case it were true.  This email follows the same format as several other emails that claim to enlighten readers about new gang initiation activities.  A close relative of this email claims that a new gang initiation is to drive around after dark with their headlights off and then kill anyone who gives them a courtesy flash.  Law enforcement officers who are asked about this often stress that gang initiations very rarely intentionally involve strangers.  More often the members are required to retaliate against opposing gangs, or they are “jumped in” by becoming victims of violence at the hands of their own gang.

Sleeping Ute Mountain resembles a sleeping Indian with his headdress on. He was a great warrior god who helped fight against white invaders, and during the battle his feet formed the mountains and valleys. He was wounded and fell asleep to help his wounds. He is still sleeping, but the blood from his wound became water and rain clouds come from his pockets. The changing of his blankets bring the seasons: dark green, yellow and red, and white.

Jackee heard the Sleepy Ute myth on a Navajo reservation in Utah which she visited as part of an alternative spring break trip.  The legend states that a great Ute warrior was wounded during battle while fighting the white invaders of the land.  He lay down to rest to help heal his wounds, and when he awakes he will continue his fight against them and take back the land that belongs to the Ute tribe.  A more complete version of the  legend can be found on various sites hosting Native American folklore.  This version can be found on a Ute website:

In the very old days, the Sleeping Ute Mountain was a Great Warrior God. He came to help fight against the Evil Ones who were causing much trouble. A tremendous battle between the Great Warrior God and the Evil Ones followed. As they stepped hard upon the earth and braced themselves to fight, their feet pushed the land into mountains and valleys. This is how the country of this region came to be as it is today. The Great Warrior God was hurt, so he lay down to rest and fell into a deep sleep. The blood from his wound turned into living water for all creatures to drink. When the fog or clouds settle over the Sleeping Warrior God, it is a sign that he is changing his blankets for the four seasons. When the Indians see the light green blanket over their “God”, they know it is spring. The dark green blanket is summer, the yellow and red one is fall, and the white one is winter.  The Indians believe that when the clouds gather on the highest peak, the Warrior God is pleased with his people and is letting rain clouds slip from his pockets. They also believe that the Great Warrior God will rise again to help them in the fight against their enemies.

Jackee says that the people she met at the reservation were mainly teenagers and that many of them believed the legend.  They told her that a time would come when the Ute awakens and they will reclaim the land that was stolen from them.  The sleeping Ute is still very much revered among the elder Ute as well as the younger generations.

Annotation:

Smith, L. Michael. “UTE.” 1998. 23 Apr. 2008<www.utemountainute.com/legends.htm>.

The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 14, No. 55 (Oct. – Dec., 1901), pp. 252-28