One unforgettable experience, which I would rather not recall was an crime that almost happened to me.
It was a warm night in late May of 1995 when I decided to walk home from work. It was barely 9 pm. The crisp night air was beckoning. After I passed the neon lighted street, I came to a short bridge. It was dark in that part of the road. My apartment was just a block away. From afar, I noticed a guy walking toward me. He was on the other side of the road. There was no one else. Suddenly, my heart started pounding. A voice told me to “watch out for him and get ready”. I could swear that every time something terrible is about to happen, I just get this nasty feeling inside me. My chest would feel like a hollow drum and I would hear my heart pounding. I meet so many people everyday, I wouldn’t really take time keenly observing one individual but that night, I just had to fix my eyes on the man.
A car passed by. As the car’s tail lights faded away into darkness and although I cannot recall ever noticing his features or the color of the clothes he was wearing, I noticed that after he passed me, he crossed the road to go to my side and walked directly at my back. It was strange knowing that if he wanted to turn back, he could just right about face on his side of the road. He had another plan. Then I started to brisk walk and ended up running when I heard him start running. My suspicions were confirmed. Suddenly he grabbed for my hair. During that time, I wore it long, reaching just above my waist. As he grabbed my hair, he pushed my back with his other hand, bringing me down on my knees. I had a bag hanging on my right shoulder and I was clutching a paper bag. The man grabbed for my paper bag and he was also pulling at my arm. It seemed he was after my bag and me. Good thing I was able to call out for help. People from the nearest house came running out of their front door so the man released his hold on me. The first neighbor reached me just before the guy jumped into the pitch black shallow river with my paper bag. My knees were all bruised and bleeding. I was wearing an office uniform – a pair of navy blue pencil cut skirt and short-sleeved blouse. The skirt’s length was just above my knees such that the fall rendered my stockings all dirty and torn. I was lucky; I think the man was unarmed.
Looking back, I did listen to that voice. It warned me, like it always does. After a few minutes, the place was roaring with police cars. There was no trace of the man, only my scattered possessions and the paper bag, all floating on the river. The other end of the river is an entry to another community, which is where he must have hidden. Every single night after that, I faithfully rode a cab straight home. It took me months before I regained confidence to walk by myself after sunset.
Have you ever been stalked? Tell me about it.
It was a warm night in late May of 1995 when I decided to walk home from work. It was barely 9 pm. The crisp night air was beckoning. After I passed the neon lighted street, I came to a short bridge. It was dark in that part of the road. My apartment was just a block away. From afar, I noticed a guy walking toward me. He was on the other side of the road. There was no one else. Suddenly, my heart started pounding. A voice told me to “watch out for him and get ready”. I could swear that every time something terrible is about to happen, I just get this nasty feeling inside me. My chest would feel like a hollow drum and I would hear my heart pounding. I meet so many people everyday, I wouldn’t really take time keenly observing one individual but that night, I just had to fix my eyes on the man.
A car passed by. As the car’s tail lights faded away into darkness and although I cannot recall ever noticing his features or the color of the clothes he was wearing, I noticed that after he passed me, he crossed the road to go to my side and walked directly at my back. It was strange knowing that if he wanted to turn back, he could just right about face on his side of the road. He had another plan. Then I started to brisk walk and ended up running when I heard him start running. My suspicions were confirmed. Suddenly he grabbed for my hair. During that time, I wore it long, reaching just above my waist. As he grabbed my hair, he pushed my back with his other hand, bringing me down on my knees. I had a bag hanging on my right shoulder and I was clutching a paper bag. The man grabbed for my paper bag and he was also pulling at my arm. It seemed he was after my bag and me. Good thing I was able to call out for help. People from the nearest house came running out of their front door so the man released his hold on me. The first neighbor reached me just before the guy jumped into the pitch black shallow river with my paper bag. My knees were all bruised and bleeding. I was wearing an office uniform – a pair of navy blue pencil cut skirt and short-sleeved blouse. The skirt’s length was just above my knees such that the fall rendered my stockings all dirty and torn. I was lucky; I think the man was unarmed.
Looking back, I did listen to that voice. It warned me, like it always does. After a few minutes, the place was roaring with police cars. There was no trace of the man, only my scattered possessions and the paper bag, all floating on the river. The other end of the river is an entry to another community, which is where he must have hidden. Every single night after that, I faithfully rode a cab straight home. It took me months before I regained confidence to walk by myself after sunset.
Have you ever been stalked? Tell me about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment