Scary story..

I just saw Vanaja today.
It was an awesome movie. Started at 915. Ended at 1115.

After the movie, I walked part of my walk home alone.

I was on Van Ness and walking, minding my own business.

At the junction of Post and Van Ness, I stop at the traffic light to cross the road. I looked behind me, I saw an Asian man walking towards me.

I thought nothing of it. Lights turn green, I walk on by.

And then while walking along Van Ness, I see a bum. An African American bum.

He looked at me and said something. I made a funny face and walked on.

I was on Pine street, walking towards home when I hear someone behind me running. I turn around to see who it is. It is the Asian man.

Okay.

He needs to get somewhere fast. So I continue to walk on.

Suddenly from behind me, I hear.."Maam, Maam"

I turn around.. Did I drop something? Does he need change? He looks too dignified to ask for change.

I slowed down. He ran after and caught up. I continued walking. And he said, "Maam, If you do not mind, and if I do not scare you, could you....."

He pauses and stop in the middle of the street. He thinks I might stop. I do not.

"Hurry up, I do not have the whole nite" I think to myself.

I keep walking. I said.."Yes???"

And he starts again, he looks down at the road and is thinking how to word his question..

I think of the Virginia Tech killer. (Yes, ok racial profiling. I am a bitch. But I am walking home alone at 1130 at nite..and he was not being clear abt why he wanted me to stop)

"Maam, if you could...if.. if.. What nationality are you?"

Okay uncle. You have stopped a South Asian looking female, in the middle of the road, in the middle of the nite, on a lonely street. And the first question you ask is about her nationality?

I am thinking to myself, should I say Indian, Singaporean or lie just say American? But the accent. He will tell.

So I mumble to myself as I usually do. And then I took a deep breath and told him..." I am not comfortable sharing my nationality with you. Is there anything else I could help you with? Did you need anything?"

He stopped. "If you could only give me a chance..."

Then the fear crept in. In fear, he looked a lot like Cho Seung-Hui at that moment.

I said "Sorry..I can't help you" and continued walking.

I could hear him behind me. Speeding up to catch up with me. But I was on Polk now. There were people around. I prepared my throat in case I needed to scream.

He ran behind me. I had to wait at the light. It was red.

Oh no. I am not doing this. I ran across the street.

And ahead, the last block to my apartment looked fucking lonely and quiet.

Should I enter the liquor store on Polk and Pine? Just to have people around me? Or should I walk ahead?

For some reason, I chose to walk ahead. I kept walking. And then I turned behind and he was stuck at the traffic light. Phew. I took my phone out. I have to call someone in the city and talk to them. Who do I call?

I think of S. I dialed him number. But the moron was obviously busy with his gf. The phone rang and rang.

Arghhh.. screw this shit. One more block. I turn behind again, and noticed that he had cross another street and was walking away from me.

And then I ran home.


OK. So nothing happened, but it was a scary story.

I am not walking home alone late at nite. (Yeah rite)

But yes, I was guilty of racial profiling today.