I can’t quite believe what just happened
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007Just 20 minutes ago I was about to get off the bus at my bus stop when a guy in his 40s looked at me and smiled at me as if he knew me. I glanced at him briefly then looked away. He grabbed my arm, and I wrenched my hand out of his grip.
He got off the bus after me and walked alongside me, trying to grab my arm again. “Come with me,” he said in an Eastern-European accent.
“No,” I said firmly, and tried to ignore him. He continued to smile at me. I was desperate to cross the road to get away from him and looked at some people who had gotten off the bus at the same time, but they were just watching from a distance.
Finally there was a gap in the traffic and I was able to dash across the road. I checked that he wasn’t following me and walked home, telling the story to my friend who had just called me.
I hope that I don’t see him again. I’m worried that he lives somewhere around here.
My friend said that I should tell the police about the encounter. The guy didn’t hurt me at all, but technically it could be called an assault. And he might try it again with someone else.
2:55 am on 5-Jul-07
You should’ve kicked him in the shins.
That’s frikkin’ creepy!
11:32 am on 5-Jul-07
Yeah, I should have, but my fight-or-flight impulse was set to flight. I just wanted to get away from the weirdo. If I see him again I would probably rip his ears off.
1:42 pm on 5-Jul-07
Holy crap, that is definitely creepy. What really gets me is that the people around you didn’t even do anything, they just watched from a distance. Definitely not cool.
2:30 pm on 5-Jul-07
very creepy.. talk about a wierdo.
2:30 pm on 5-Jul-07
.. i mean i hate people like that.
3:12 pm on 5-Jul-07
Hell yes report him to the police.
10:34 pm on 5-Jul-07
Obviously…call the police. And report it right now. (i’ll say it again)
Report it so that it is on record!
You do not know what might happen in the future AND he may do something more serious to somebody else….
I hope you’re alright though!
Anthoyn
12:08 am on 6-Jul-07
Hi everyone, I’m okay. I tried to call 2 different local police stations a couple of times last night, but it looks like I’d have to go in person to report it. Part of me is nervous that the police might laugh it off as an overly enthusiastic flirtation on his part, or that they might try to belittle my reaction to it in some other way. I’ll keep you all updated.
12:16 am on 6-Jul-07
Don’t let fear stop you, PJ. Go after this guy.
How’d you feel if you hear that he’s abducted some other woman and held her hostage for a number of days before the police were able to track her down?
Sadly, we live in an age where we have to be proactive.
Best–
3:54 pm on 6-Jul-07
Look at that, I go away for a while, and you get a whole new look. Very cool!
But about that encounter - very, very scary. You should really think about reporting it, next time it may be you or it may be someone else.
4:46 pm on 6-Jul-07
That’s frightening - really frightening. Please report it. I hope the police don’t make you out to be some sort of neurotic woman. And having been in a vaguely similar situation (I verbally ripped the guy concerned a new one - risky cos you don’t know what they’re going to do) I know how fucking scary that is, and that you’re so shocked that you don’t know how to confront it.
Hope you’re feeling better. xxx
5:01 pm on 7-Jul-07
I’ve reported it to the Police now. The officer I spoke to was very efficient and reasonable. Now I just want to forget about it.
In my mind it’s become a surreal moment, so strange that I wonder if it even happened at all. The guy reminded me of the Ukrainian (my last ex), but 20 years older.
I want to fall asleep for a long time.
1:59 pm on 11-Jul-07
That’s Croydon for yer.
Whereabouts was it?
I’d keep an eye over my shoulder if I were you!