So yesterday evening, I saw a stray dog hanging out in my courtyard. Being the superhero animal saver that I am, I hastily put on shoes and run out of my door. I'm immediately taken aback by this strange man lurking at the bottom of our stairs. (I live in a building of 4 apartments.)
I say hello, he says hello long time, no see. Thinking it was a joke on the fact that I've obviously never met him, I laughed nervously. I ask him if thats his dog. He looks like he doesnt know what I'm talking about, so I begin to refocus on saving the dog.
He follows me.
He begins to make really lewd comments about my body, me in general, etc.
I knock on our property owners' door.
No luck.
I knock again.
No luck.
He keeps asking really personal questions like who do I live with (my answer: two guys; half true), why am I not married (because this isn't 1948 anymore?), and why I don't give him hugs, kisses, etc anymore (the fuck?).
He's obviously mentally unstable as he acts like he knows me really well. I do ride the bus a couple of times a week, and I'm very friendly with people and often carry on conversations with random people, but I didn't recognize him. And even if I did, I've only ever kissed one person (romantically speaking), and that's my boyfriend.
So by this point I'm fighting the urge to panic. I begin walking around the block, knocking on neighbors' doors under the guise of asking if the stray belonged to them, but also alerting them to what was going on.
I was able to evade him this way for about 5 minutes until I made my way back to my apartment, and he was walking away from it, toward me. I kept my head down and kept walking. He tried to talk to me and touch me, but I kept to the course. He kept walking away from my apartment, thankfully.
I didn't realize how shaken up I was until I came inside and my male roommate asked me what was wrong. I didn't break down exactly, but I kind of just sunk into the couch, held a pillow, pulled my knees up, and stared. I only cried when I talked to my boyfriend about it, and even then, it was just a few dry sobs.
I didn't feel comfortable staying there overnight considering he knows exactly which apt is mine, so I stayed at my beau's place. He has work at 7, I had work at 8. He parked, and I walked to a breakfast restaurant nearby to chill and watch the news until work. (I should also take this moment to mention that I walk everywhere 75% of the time.)
So I was in there, fine and dandy, when someone on the street caught my eye. It was him.
Immediately my heart begins to pound, and I'm frozen with fear. I'm shouting up prayers inside my head. Please don't let him see me. Please don't let him come in. PLEASE.
He heads straight for the restaurant.
At this point, I'm basically frantic. Why is there only one exit?? Oh god please don't see me. How am I going to get out of here, ohmygodddddd.
I go over to the manager and say I need to speak to you. NOW. He opens the door to the kitchen, and I explain the situation. He agrees to sort of distract the man whilst allowing me to leave. Mind you, by this point, he's in the restaurant and sees me. He's giving me that creepy motherfucker look, and it's taking everything I can do not to vomit every ounce of breakfast I'd just eaten. But finally I get my chance, and I then proceeded to hyperventilate/sob the whole walk/run to work.
I haven't been this shaken up in a while.
I hate feeling this afraid of walking by myself. I hate it. I'm an independent person, and I like to be alone. This puts me at SUCH a risk, though. And it's so unfair that I have to put up with this bullshit!
Every single day, I get hit on by Creeper McGee. It happens. Whether it's a honk and a shout from a passing truck or a "dat ass" comment from a grocery store shopper...it will happen.
And sometimes they take it too far. Like I'm afraid this man may have.
I'm not sure what I'm even hoping to gain from posting this other than solace, really, but encouraging and empowering words are welcome to try and subside my fear.
I did buy pepper spray, though. So I'm feeling mildly like a badass for that.
I say hello, he says hello long time, no see. Thinking it was a joke on the fact that I've obviously never met him, I laughed nervously. I ask him if thats his dog. He looks like he doesnt know what I'm talking about, so I begin to refocus on saving the dog.
He follows me.
He begins to make really lewd comments about my body, me in general, etc.
I knock on our property owners' door.
No luck.
I knock again.
No luck.
He keeps asking really personal questions like who do I live with (my answer: two guys; half true), why am I not married (because this isn't 1948 anymore?), and why I don't give him hugs, kisses, etc anymore (the fuck?).
He's obviously mentally unstable as he acts like he knows me really well. I do ride the bus a couple of times a week, and I'm very friendly with people and often carry on conversations with random people, but I didn't recognize him. And even if I did, I've only ever kissed one person (romantically speaking), and that's my boyfriend.
So by this point I'm fighting the urge to panic. I begin walking around the block, knocking on neighbors' doors under the guise of asking if the stray belonged to them, but also alerting them to what was going on.
I was able to evade him this way for about 5 minutes until I made my way back to my apartment, and he was walking away from it, toward me. I kept my head down and kept walking. He tried to talk to me and touch me, but I kept to the course. He kept walking away from my apartment, thankfully.
I didn't realize how shaken up I was until I came inside and my male roommate asked me what was wrong. I didn't break down exactly, but I kind of just sunk into the couch, held a pillow, pulled my knees up, and stared. I only cried when I talked to my boyfriend about it, and even then, it was just a few dry sobs.
I didn't feel comfortable staying there overnight considering he knows exactly which apt is mine, so I stayed at my beau's place. He has work at 7, I had work at 8. He parked, and I walked to a breakfast restaurant nearby to chill and watch the news until work. (I should also take this moment to mention that I walk everywhere 75% of the time.)
So I was in there, fine and dandy, when someone on the street caught my eye. It was him.
Immediately my heart begins to pound, and I'm frozen with fear. I'm shouting up prayers inside my head. Please don't let him see me. Please don't let him come in. PLEASE.
He heads straight for the restaurant.
At this point, I'm basically frantic. Why is there only one exit?? Oh god please don't see me. How am I going to get out of here, ohmygodddddd.
I go over to the manager and say I need to speak to you. NOW. He opens the door to the kitchen, and I explain the situation. He agrees to sort of distract the man whilst allowing me to leave. Mind you, by this point, he's in the restaurant and sees me. He's giving me that creepy motherfucker look, and it's taking everything I can do not to vomit every ounce of breakfast I'd just eaten. But finally I get my chance, and I then proceeded to hyperventilate/sob the whole walk/run to work.
I haven't been this shaken up in a while.
I hate feeling this afraid of walking by myself. I hate it. I'm an independent person, and I like to be alone. This puts me at SUCH a risk, though. And it's so unfair that I have to put up with this bullshit!
Every single day, I get hit on by Creeper McGee. It happens. Whether it's a honk and a shout from a passing truck or a "dat ass" comment from a grocery store shopper...it will happen.
And sometimes they take it too far. Like I'm afraid this man may have.
I'm not sure what I'm even hoping to gain from posting this other than solace, really, but encouraging and empowering words are welcome to try and subside my fear.
I did buy pepper spray, though. So I'm feeling mildly like a badass for that.
