I think I’m getting paranoid in my old age…
Today, when Boy and I were coming home, I noticed a car follow us into the neighborhood. (Because I’m a paranoid freak ever since my stalker tried to kill me.)
Anyway, I noticed this car, and its rather large, sort of scary occupants. It made every turn I made, which is really freaking strange as our neighborhood is a serious maze, and getting to my street requires either a map or a Sherpa… and then it followed me down my street. Rather than stop at the house where there were not witnesses, I kept going around the curve, and took a couple of weird turns and it was still following, so I left the neighborhood and drove into the fire station on the same block.
One of the local cops there followed me home, just to make sure nothing was wrong…but I’ve been kinda spooked ever since. I made the dog stay inside until Man got home because frankly, a 90 pound Chow is a pretty good first line of defense.
I’m probably too paranoid for my own good.
There is no such thing as too paranoid if you aren’t actually pumping bullets into strangers.
For instance, Mel is used to answering the door now when strangers call because I tend to get REALLY suspicious immediately. I make sure they can’t see inside the house. If they ask personal questions for a survey, I allude to the fact that I work at home making guns for a living. I also drop in there that I’m ALWAYS at home, and usually pissed off at a customer.
Why? Because I may have (allegedly) cased and burglarized a few homes in my youth.
dude. where were the sherpas when i visited??? i really coulda used one. instead i got eyeballed nervously as my broken car drove circles in suburbia.
not too paranoid at all!!!!!!
i’d be freaked out by it too, good thinking about the fire station though!
btw, where do we hire the sherpa’s?
Good call on the fire station. And there’s no such thing as too paranoid, unfortunately.
Also HOLY CRAP STALKER!! I’m glad you (presumably) got out of that one physically okay. Hope they locked the creep up for a good long while.
And the Boy got to see a fire station. This was totally win win
Totally did the right thing. Better to be safe when your weird-o-meter gets pinged. And cops would much rather follow you home to stave off badness than be called to badness in progress.
I often think women in our culture are taught to disregard the healthy amount of paranoia necessary to survive in an urban wilderness. This is what makes women more common and easier victims. I for one would rather be known as the wingnutty over-safe lady than the lady who didn’t listen to her gut, ya know.
*steps off soapbox*
Glad you’re safe, chickadee.
And stalker???!!!1!? Yeeps!
Yeah…and since I’m allowed to have all the guns I want…but no bullets…
I know, the neighborhood was designed by an insane person with a wandering eye. Crazy.
you did the right thing. It was probably nothing, but when you get that feeling, that’s what you do.
And if it was something creepy, you’ve sent the message that you’re observant and smart.
Actually, men are more often the victims of crimes commited by strangers than women are, I think precisely because women are taught to be suspicious of strangers.
We’re more likely to be raped by the guy who walks us to our car than by some random stranger who sees us walking to the car. This, however, does not mean it is a good idea to wander around alone at night.
I paid those guys good money to bring me your head! Authentic Halloween decorations are getting tough to come by nowadays.
Bwhahahahaha!
Yeah, I’m really glad it’s right there. I’m not even sure where the cop shop is, but it’s not close in any case.
The stalker was a long time ago, and no…they didn’t. It being Texas, and him claiming that we had a relationship, they wrote it off as “domestic”. It’s not an issue anymore though, other than the fact that it makes me look over my shoulder more than most people might.
Boy does love fire trucks.
Hey, speaking of Boy, we’re thinking about doing a FT zoo trip in the next couple of weekends, weather permitting. Any chance you and yo’Man wanna come?
You know, every time I’ve ignored my instincts, I’ve gotten hurt. And with Boy in the car, I just couldn’t take any chances. I mean, if someone wants to jack my 7 year old SUV…they’re welcome to it, but not so much my son. I like him a lot more than I like most anything else.
The stalker was a long time ago. The only real effect is that I look over my shoulder more than most people might.
You know, every time I’ve ignored my instincts, I’ve gotten hurt. Now…pretty much if something feels wonky, I try to get away and to some place heavily populated and visible. Preferably around people who are licensed to carry weapons.
The hell? Don’t all stalkers claim a relationship? That’s like the basic cornerstone of being a stalker! A deep conviction of a relationship that has not been ended, is about to start, or is somehow ongoing! Stupid Southern states. In Massachusetts, he’d still be serving time, on some electronic database, and maybe in line to get an RFID chip implanted in his skull. Maybe wired to a little taser in his groin that’d go off if he came within 100 feet of you. Man, that’d be sweet!
I guess I kind of got off on a rant there. I guess in conclusion, I apologize on behalf of my gender.
Smart move, esp. w/o a piece at home.
Oh…I have lots of guns, I just don’t know where any bullets are. See, I’m allowed to have *all* the guns I want…but no ammunition.
Heh.
Yah, you mentioned that a few years ago. Still, wise idea. Buttstroking someone to death with an 18″ cylinder bore shotgun — or whatever the empty gun closest to the door is, clunk, I hit you onna noggin with a .45 long slide, whatever — is not really a prime mode of defense.
Oh, I sent you email a week or so ago to your livejournal address, dunno if you got it.
Heh, yeah true. We actually do have ammo. Just not stored together.
I hadn’t seen it. I just went and searched for it. I’d filtered you as “friend”, and it tossed it in a folder and I hadn’t noticed.
Lemme read and respond in the next day or two. The faucet in my kitchen began a flood of biblical proportions today, and we didn’t get the water turned back on until after 8pm…and I’m super cranky.
That’s okay, I’m illin’ myself and have snapped at everyone I know. Fucking cold. =(