The day started with none of my clothes being comfortable and a general feeling of grossness. Don't act like you don't know what I am talking about... because you totally do. Then there was some other junk that shook up the day and darkened my usual cheerful mood, but nothing dramatic or cause for mention in a public arena.
It was the afternoon, the time of day when I usually move my car from one lot to another. It is also an excellent time to get a Diet Coke. By the time I got to my car I saw that I only had 5 minutes until I needed to be at a meeting. This was not enough time to go to the McDonald's drive-thru as I had planned. (Side note: McDonald's has THE best Diet Coke hands down... and then it is only $1 for a large? Forget about it!!) Anywho... There is a liquor store a couple of blocks away from where I was and I had purchased a beverage there a few times before. I decided I would hit that up real quick like and then head to my meeting.
This is NOT the actual liquor store from the story.
I parked in front of a liquor store near my work. I got out of my car and I could hear some crazies hollering at me from across the street at the bus stop. I ignored this. Ain't no thang... I glanced up to see 2 men outside of the store standing near/behind the propped door. I went inside. I grabbed a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper. (If I am forced to buy bottles, then I go for the Diet Dr. Pepper variety rather than Diet Coke... not important to the story, but totally important to my life.) I went to the cashier to pay for my item.There was another customer talking to the Asian store clerk. This customer had walked in behind me. He was missing several teeth and I feel like it impaired his speech. He was an African American bloke that was so ridiculous it was as if he was acting. He was almost yelling, "Chico! There are people loitering outside your store. Chico! You can't let people do that you are going to lose customers. CHICO!" The Asian man acted super sketched out and just ignored his comments. He would glance at him every once in awhile but never responded verbally. I kept thinking, "Is this guy's name actually Chico? Because that would be kind of epic."
The other customer stopped yelling at the clerk and got really quiet. He turned to look at me and said in a low voice, "How are you doing?" I got my change and quickly replied, "I'm well." I turned and walked towards the exit. The loitering men that I saw when I arrived had tripled in size. There were now 6 dudes and they were standing right in front of the store door blocking my only exit. I walked straight through them as I clearly stated, "Excuse me." They were being very intrusive and began surrounding me making sexual comments. I felt as if they were trying to intimidate me. I continued to just say "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me" as I walked through them, away from them, and towards my car. Their stupid comments continuing throughout.
I wish these were the folks loitering.
THEN the man from inside the store followed my ass. He was shouting out, "Are you really from Utah? I was supposed to go to Utah State but I got injured. Really? You are from Utah? I live on Casitas. Where do you live?" He saw my Utah license plate. I was just walking and kind of nodding. Then he said, "This liquor store isn't usually this bad, but you should probably go somewhere else." During all of this, the bus stop crazies were cat calling from across the street. They were harder to ignore with all of the other happenings going on at the same time. I got to my car after a very short walk that felt a mile long, I started her up, and I drove away with a sigh of relief to move on with my life. I thought, "Well... I won't be going to THAT place ever again."
I didn't actually do this, but I may as well have "talk to the handed" him.
But the saga is not over because the lovely gentleman who had followed me out of the store continued his pursuit in his car! I didn't notice him behind me until I had stopped at a stop sign. I looked in my rear view mirror to see a car pass on my left and then stop beside me. Sure enough, it was the man from the store. He had his passenger side window rolled down. I shook my head. He yelled, "Do you have a boyfriend!?" To which I nodded and said "Yes." (I guess this is the only logical reason I would reject him...? I would have told him I was a man with several STD's if I thought it would shake him.)
As I drove, I thought about how that whole situation resembled the opening of a Law and Order SVU episode, complete with Asian store owner and loitering men. Which reminded me of a
past blog post where I relayed some concerns about peeps being all up in my business on the off chance I went missing. Since that post I have struck a deal with my cousin that he will erase certain accounts if I die. But I haven't even given him my passwords yet!!
I headed to my place of employment and attended my meeting (remarkably, on time.) After the meeting, I text messaged a friend and fellow coworker telling him briefly about the situation. I was quickly reprimanded for thinking it was a good idea to go into that store. I have now been given a run down of the places I am and am not allowed to go. If I want Diet Coke... it is strongly recommended that I head to the neighboring city for such a beverage. (Don't fret... there is a McDonald's in said area.)
Diet Coke is important.
Much later, I thought about the incident while out of my dissociative state of coping. I ran through the entire scene in my head. This is when I realized that the situation was actually quite terrifying. I strongly believe that that creeper following me, while was super irritating and ridiculous, helped me shake those other loitering men. I was happy and relieved to be in a completely different environment in that moment of contemplation. I was in a place where I felt totally and completely safe. And I may or may not have cried in my relief... it was a long day, ok? So back off!
I am definitely not a cute crier.
I feel blessed this this whole scene went down as it did. That could have been bad. One of my best friends has offered me the use of her 9mm gun. I just have to give the nod...
