Potential Psychopaths or Shy People
Upon realizing I was feeling tired, I turned around to skip the one mile walk and head to a local store instead, one within shorter distance. I heard the flapping sound of flip-flops following right behind me. I turned so quickly I must not have seen who it was and, by then, I was embarrassed to look back.
Sometimes, I imagine that, if I ever get abducted, this is how my “captor” will get away; criminal sketch artists couldn’t save me because I didn’t want to look at my attacker’s face. I only knew it was a woman because of the shadow—long ponytail swaying from side to side.
But this didn’t become a story because a stranger with a ponytail and flip flops was walking beside me. This became a story because I slowed down to allow for this person to get ahead of me and, as I changed my pace, so did she. Not too sketchy… My eyes dilated and my breathing changed right away. My fight-or-flight response was getting turned on by all this.
Why couldn’t she just pick up the pace and get ahead of me? By the sound of her shoes I could’ve sworn she was in a rush, so I gave way. Slowing down when walking alongside a stranger is universal language for GO AWAY, is it not? Zero hints were taken here.
I was pleasantly surprised, and sort of relieved, though, to see that she crossed the street. But then, things went back to being weird when she crossed the street again, ending up walking behind me again. And, next thing you know, we’re walking through the same door.
At the store, I had a second chance to see who this awkward being was. Did I turn around to take a look? No way. (I told you, this is how my captor gets away.) I did try to slow down and maybe that way I could see her face when she walked by. But, she must’ve been shy. The woman never faced me and I was too—whatchadmacallit—afraid to turn back and look at her.
Even while roaming through the aisles I could hear the flapping of her sandals, just never seeing her face.
Was I guilty for not looking back and maybe flashing a friendly smile? Maybe. Was she guilty for not getting ahead of me and giving me a “you’re safe” smile BUT crossing the street instead? Heck yeah she was! (I may be a bit bias.) But this moment stuck with me because—really? Crossing the street when we could’ve just talked about, say, how we ended up walking to the same spot, two minutes away, after I changed direction? I thought, is this the length people are willing to go to avoid human interaction? Pitiful.
This taught me, however, that it’s a two-way street—and that I also need to start looking at potential psychopaths in the face going forward.
