Stupid, stupid.
Sometimes I really listen to my intuition and make smart decisions. And sometimes I am just stupid. This story is about one of the stupid times.
A few weeks ago I was in Houston at a dance convention/competition with my girls. For me, these weekends can get very long and very boring while the girls are in class. I tire of the hotel room and just sitting around, so I decided I would take a walk to a store and get myself something to eat. I knew nothing about the area, but the hotel was nice and I figured nearby would be nice enough as well.
I googled a grocery store and two popped up about a half mile away. I did see one review that warned people to stay away from this store, or at least lock their car. I’m sure it’s just fine, I thought.
Not wanting to walk a half mile carrying my purse, I held my wallet in one hand and my phone in the other. I started walking.
I passed by three bus stops as I walked. In my experience, bus stops are always full of interesting (crazy) people. These Houston bus stops confirmed my belief. I kept walking. The directions had me turn right and I did. The road next to my path was busy with cars, and I passed a lovely park where kids were playing and parties were going on.
And then things changed.
There was a lot of road construction on both sides of the road. The park was long behind me. I was suddenly aware of how different I looked from everyone else. I felt a little icky inside and thought I should turn around and go back. But I could see the store ahead, and it was so close! Determined, I kept walking.
The store was on the other side of the road, so I crossed and walked in. The armed guard to my right gave me a strange look. So did the clerk. I walked back out. I knew at this point I needed to head back to the hotel, but there was a Shell gas station and I thought I could at least buy a drink. It was hot, and I had walked a long way. As I crossed the parking lot to the gas station, everything inside of me was screaming, “Go back! Get out of here!”
I kept going. I walked in and saw the clerk standing behind bullet-proof glass. I didn’t want to admit that I was scared, so I walked directly to the fridge, saw that they didn’t have what I wanted, and walked back out.
I immediately crossed the road and started the half-mile walk back.
After a few moments, I heard footsteps behind me. I picked up my pace. The footsteps got faster, so I turned and noticed a man about 8 feet behind me. He slowed back down when I caught his gaze. I kept walking, as briskly as I could without actually running. After a few minutes, I saw him turn into a parking lot.
Oh, brother. Here I had been so scared and it was nothing! He was just walking on the same sidewalk as me. I slowed to a more leisurely pace. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw the man leave the parking lot and start following me again, about 8 feet behind me.
Crap.
I started planning. I could run out into the road…but who knows if that would bring help? Some of the cars were sketchy. And what was I going to say—Help! A man is walking on the sidewalk behind me! I decided to call Brian and at least have him on the phone so someone could call for help in case there was a problem. He didn’t answer. I called my sister. No answer. I even called Julie, who was in dance class, but I was feeling a bit desperate. No one answered! I called Brian again and faked like we were having a conversation. I laughed nonchalantly and tried to pretend like all was well, as I watched the man stay right in line with me.
After my fake conversation ended, the man started to walk faster. I moved off the sidewalk and let him pass. For a moment I felt relieved and silly again for thinking he was planning something sinister. Then he slowed way down. We were almost touching. I moved off the sidewalk again. I was almost to the corner, and I could see a McDonald’s. Should I run?
The man said something to me. I didn’t hear him. I turned and said,
“What?”
He said,
“You must be new around here, right?”
I shook my head as I mumbled, nope. I decided to cut the corner through a grassy field and walked faster than a speed-walking Olympian. Seriously, it was impressive. As I walked, I called 911. Unbelievably, I was put on hold. I turned around and the man was gone.
He’d stopped following me.
I walked into the hotel, sweaty and shaken.
Julie saw me first, and I couldn’t stop the tears. All that fear and anxiety had to come out, and it did.
I don’t actually know if that man was going to rob me or just wanted to be friendly, because nothing happened. But his behavior was suspicious, and my choices had put me in a bad situation. I was walking in an unfamiliar area holding a phone and a wallet, essentially putting a big old target on myself. So, so stupid.
There are a few lessons here, obviously.
Don’t go walking alone in an unfamiliar place, even if you are a little restless.
Don’t carry your wallet and phone out in the open. You’re asking for trouble.
Trust your intuition. You may call that by a different name, but it is the same thing. Trust that when you have an uneasiness about something or someone, it is legitimate. Don’t discount those feelings. I had multiple times when I felt like I should leave, but I didn’t want to seem mean, uptight, or frankly, racist. 😳
Sigh. It was the worst part of my Houston weekend, a part I don’t plan on repeating. I’ve told my girls the story, and anyone else who will listen. Stupid decisions can teach us to do things better…especially my stupid ones. Please talk to your girls and boys who are getting ready to leave home for the first time. People are good and bad. Don’t make yourself easy prey. You don’t have to be nice above all else.
Trust your gut.
