Walking and Followed

A couple of years ago I was followed when I took a walk at dusk in my own neighborhood.

My neighbor who lives across the street diagonally from us saw me walk past his house on the sidewalk. He then got in his pick up truck and followed me around the neighborhood. He passed me a few times, turned around, and passed me again. I was listening to music and at first not thinking much of it.

Eventually he even pulled up next to me as I’m walking, slowed down, and creeped next to me in his vehicle to match my walking pace.

What was he doing? I’m not sure. My guess is that he was trying to get a closer look or on the phone giving the police a description of me.

At this point I’m calling some one because I wasn’t sure if I was about to get snatched up. But yet because of the current events I did not run. I just looked straight ahead and kept walking.

I was angry as well, thinking, “You are so-called trying to protect our neighborhood while you YOURSELF are behaving stalkerishly and scaring a young woman.” But I guess that’s supposedly okay in these days.

When I finally walked into my own house all I did was hope that he saw me and realized that I am their neighbor. I hoped he felt extremely humiliated.

Mind you, I lived here first. These neighbors had recently moved in within the past year. I do take the blame for not doing a better job of engaging with my neighbors. I have been terrible at that. However, it was winter and I had a red hoody on with the hood over my head. I’m convinced he would have followed me just the same, not knowing it was me because he couldn’t see me well.

The funny thing is my neighborhood is about 60% black or minority, maybe 40% white. I guess I looked suspicious in his eyes. But why isn’t your first assumption maybe I live here because many of your neighbors are brown?

But none the less, I live here. It’s my street too. If I want to take an evening stroll, I can.

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