In response to “Recreate A Single Day”

Photo credit: San Diego Shooter / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

When I felt his eyes on me, I immediately regretted having pushed my to-do list late into the evening hours.

With the change of seasons, it was already getting darker faster and in the badly-lit and bare parking lot, this dude was totally creeping me out. I hustled into the entrance of the hardware store as quickly as I could.

I’m usually aware of my surroundings so that’s how I noticed him almost right away. He had been staring at me as he had approached his car with one lonely bag in his hand. He had popped his trunk, thrown the bag into it and then continued staring. What creeped me out was the “something” in his eyes that I could see through the darkness. It gave me a sick ache in the pit of my stomach.

I was even more creeped out when he slammed his trunk and I realized that he was following behind me.

Strange how your brain processes information really fast when it needs to.

Why is he going back into the store when he just came from there? Is he following me? No, relax and stop being paranoid!

I joined the returns line near the main entrance and waited for what felt like an eternity before nonchalantly turning around to see where he had gone. Our eyes immediately made four. He was about 3 customers away from me in the same line.

What the f***? He’s got nothing in his hands to return…

For the first time in my life, I was glad that it was a long line. It gave me time to think.

Did I tell anyone about my errands and where I was going tonight? Should I call my brother and tell him where I am in case something were to happen? No, that might freak him out.

If I leave the line now, Weird Dude knows where I parked and could simply follow me back to my car…or even home. No, you can’t go straight back to your car.

It was my turn at the cashier. I handed her my bill and credit card and all the while, my thoughts were elsewhere. I looked back. Now, there were about four customers behind him.

As I placed my credit card back into my wallet, I played it cool and walked through the turnstile into the main part of the store. Stopping at the first aisle, I turned around to see that he was unsuccessfully trying to get himself out of the line, first from the back and then from the front. Other customers were getting annoyed with him trying to jostle past them.

I need to lose him. If I walk along the back aisles of the store, it would be easier to do it.

But as I did, I realized that with only one set of exit doors, he could be waiting there or even near my car. I immediately regretted wasting time and not going back directly to my car in the first place.

I called a friend who stayed on the line with me as we tried to decide on my next move.

And that’s when I decided to act like a creep myself.

I shadowed a man and his young son who was enjoying a lollipop headed in the same direction as my car. Fortunately, the man didn’t realize that I was invading their personal space but I was close enough for the child to eye me suspiciously as if I was about to steal the lollipop out of his hand.

Sorry kid, I’d rather be safe than sorry.

©2017 Marquessa Matthews. All Rights Reserved.

Originally posted on September 24, 2015

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