EveHarrington
VIP Member
This happened almost 2 weeks ago now. I go out walking early in the morning. The area I go is pretty safe in general. But, this day I decided to walk down a new-ish road outside of this area. It’s more of a bypass situation that’s used to cut across and avoid traffic. Most of the road doesn’t have any buildings until you get closer into town. There is a wide sidewalk ie you could easily fit 5 people across. So I walked down to the end, and turned around. I didn’t notice someone following me until he was very close behind me, when I spun around and was very startled. He quickly walked past me and then sat down on the side of the sidewalk. I passed him and kept looking over my shoulder to make sure he wasn’t following me. The whole situation was out of the ordinary. There was no reason for him to be so close behind me given how much space there was all around us. There was no reason for him to be so close behind me if he wasn’t just going to pass. It’s as if he just passed me and then realized he lost the element of surprise and gave up. This all happened at least an hour or two after sunrise, so it wasn’t dark out.
The area doesn’t initially appear unsafe. It’s mostly a bunch of doctors offices in various complexes with some stores and restaurants scattered about. But also—the convenience store at the end of the road has been vandalized before, the windows were smashed out and the store had to close until they were fixed. It’s one of those situations where you don’t realize it’s unsafe because the dangerous housing complex is probably close to a mile away if you were to drive, but much closer if you cut across on foot. This is the closest convenience store to that housing complex since another one in the opposite direction closed. (Everyone knew to not stop there, it was frequented by violent people and homeless drug addicts who would harass you for money.) Let’s just say there was a crime committed there at that housing complex that went on the national news and caused quite a stir.
It took a few days to hit me emotionally and then I fell apart. This delayed reaction is my norm. I have ok days and I have not so ok days. Today is a not so ok day. I can’t stop crying, I’m somewhat dissociated, and I just want to throw up.
I finally bought a bunch of self defense stuff including pepper spray, a taser, and one of those kitty keychains. I should have had this stuff before, but I just kept putting off the purchase. I wonder if this stuff is just going to make me feel even more unsafe.
I don’t think others would understand because nothing actually happened. I avoided being attacked because I spun around just in time. People probably think I should be ok, but I’m not. I just want to give up on the day and go back to bed.
IDK what I’m asking for here. I think I just needed to get this out.
The area doesn’t initially appear unsafe. It’s mostly a bunch of doctors offices in various complexes with some stores and restaurants scattered about. But also—the convenience store at the end of the road has been vandalized before, the windows were smashed out and the store had to close until they were fixed. It’s one of those situations where you don’t realize it’s unsafe because the dangerous housing complex is probably close to a mile away if you were to drive, but much closer if you cut across on foot. This is the closest convenience store to that housing complex since another one in the opposite direction closed. (Everyone knew to not stop there, it was frequented by violent people and homeless drug addicts who would harass you for money.) Let’s just say there was a crime committed there at that housing complex that went on the national news and caused quite a stir.
It took a few days to hit me emotionally and then I fell apart. This delayed reaction is my norm. I have ok days and I have not so ok days. Today is a not so ok day. I can’t stop crying, I’m somewhat dissociated, and I just want to throw up.
I finally bought a bunch of self defense stuff including pepper spray, a taser, and one of those kitty keychains. I should have had this stuff before, but I just kept putting off the purchase. I wonder if this stuff is just going to make me feel even more unsafe.
I don’t think others would understand because nothing actually happened. I avoided being attacked because I spun around just in time. People probably think I should be ok, but I’m not. I just want to give up on the day and go back to bed.
IDK what I’m asking for here. I think I just needed to get this out.
