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Friday, January 20, 2012

That Alarm in Your Head is Meant to be Noticed

Ladies and gentlemen, cats and kittens, welcome to Friday, the day on which we ask ourselves, Why didn’t I get an education and ensure myself a better-paying job?

The answer, my friend, is that I don’t know. Everyone tried to talk to you about it, but you know how you are.

You didn’t listen.

But it’s not too late! The future is still before us. And now, through my steadfast and possibly erroneous belief in the oracle-y powers of my iPod, played on the Friday morning commute and carefully scrutinized, you, too, can predict your immediate future.

Aw, come on! Play along!


This Story by Eyedea & Abilities
What Does it Take (to win your love) by Jr. Walker
Television, the Drug of the Nation by The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprosy
House Party by The JB Horns
Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston
Ramble On by Led Zeppelin
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron

Hmm. Looks like a good weekend, with a decent beat and perhaps a horn section in the background. Drink lots of fluids and get plenty of sleep. Wait – that might just be for me, because, for the second time in under a month, I left work early Monday. Sick again, I took my throbbing head and increasingly stuffed-up nose out the door and to the bus stop.

Now, I would not describe myself as a paranoid person.

That said, however, I noticed the young man at the bus stop immediately.

He arrived moments after I did, but he seemed to be looking at the people at the bus stop more than he seemed to be awaiting a bus. As he approached me, I put my new Kindle in my purse, pull my bus pass from my purse and board.

It is as the bus is pulling away, that it appears he suddenly remembers that this is his bus. Waving his arms, the driver stops, the doors open, and he boards.

He takes a seat three behind me.

We are almost over the bridge when I hear him talking.

“Miss? Hello? Hello? Hellooooooo.”

I’ve got my earbuds in, but my iPod is not on. When I feel there might be something going on, something to listen to, I turn it off.

I’ve believed in my gut all my life, and my gut didn’t like this man.

I ignore him.

“Hello? Helloooooo! Miss? Miss?” The volume is somewhere between a whisper and a mutter, and I finally turn around.

He has a cell phone to his ear. He smiles at me. I turn back around. I know he’s been talking to me.

He’s not talking to anyone on the phone. I turn around, look at him again. The phone is no longer out.

He smiles.

Someone at the front of the bus pulls the cord, and I jump up and get off of it at the last possible second.

And I watch the bus, with him still in the back of it, go on without me.

I’ll catch a different one.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes it's safer to watch from a distance. QUITE a distance.

Pat said...

Oh Pearl! I trust you your gut instinct too. Take care dear.

Vicus Scurra said...

Pearl? Hello? Hello? Hellooooooo?

SherilinR said...

creepy! it's always good to trust your gut when it starts sounding the creepy alarm.

terlee said...

Good move. Always better to be safe than sorry...and to listen to that squirrely, uncomfortable this-isn't-right vibe.

Camille said...

Oh yeah - just.keep.walking.away.Yikes!

You need to start wearing a face mask like Michael Jackson, or take more Vit.C, or stop letting the human race come near you, or carry wet wipes, or SOMETHING! Poor Pearl.

Amy said...

Damn it! I have told my dad to stop doing this to people. I'll have another talk with him!

Symdaddy said...

I think it's sweet that someone can still assume that a 50 year old is a 'Miss'!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

At least the dude was polite. An awful lot of people I've encountered on a bus haven't been. I think you were wise to listen to your gut, though. If ya can't trust your own gut, who CAN ya trust?

Joanne Noragon said...

You were right! I was followed off a bus once and nipped in the front door with the fella watching from the sidewalk. Scary.

jenny_o said...

Oh dear ... I'm so glad he didn't jump off too ... take care and I hope whatever you've got in your head takes a long hike off a short cliff SOON.

Leenie said...

At least he said, "Miss" and not "Ma'am."

Isherwood Wildwalker said...

Apparently that guy needed a refresher course in "Playing Well With Others"

-Isherwood

Suldog said...

Yup. Listen to that voice if it's warning you. I've had a few times when I didn't, and I can say with certainty it would have been better if I had.

CarrieBoo said...

Weirder and weirder... girl's got gut. I'm looking forward to some horn section this weekend!

Belle said...

It is always good to trust your instincts about people. You aren't usually afraid of people; this guy was different.

JeannetteLS said...

I cannot think of a single time when I ignored that voice, that it was wise. Not one. And, sure, maybe sometimes when I HAVE Listened it was a false alarm--I'll never know. But I know what has happened when I tried to be trusting or "polite" instead. Not good stuff.

Good reminder to us all. I noticed some people find it nice that you were called Miss, not Ma'am. At my age, when they do that, I find it kind of kissing up to me. But, then, I am nearly sixty, so it's a little different! :)

Glad you listened.

raydenzel1 said...

Pearl
As a dad, I would be finding you different transportation!
Be careful!!

Kay Dennison said...

Going with your gut is not a bad thing!!!!

Unknown said...

Yikes! I think you made a smart move!

Linda O'Connell said...

You sure it wasn't one of the evicted neighbors? You were smart to depart.

Gigi said...

Tis always wise to listen to your gut.

Which is why, when a guy in our lottery pool said he had a feeling that this was the one - I turned the ticket buying over to him for tomorrow. If we actually win the damn thing, drinks on me, Pearl! I'll even fly up (after the thaw, of course) to buy them.

And keep staying away from creepy people....and germ-y people.

Ms Sparrow said...

Sounds like you have the winter crud, the kind that won't let go.
I had it last January and I'm still trying to shake it this year.

Anonymous said...

PULYR..there you go PEARL... Truth be told...you all are ARYANS!
And you have blogs about MUTTRAZE!
And E- RACE!
And RAZON!
And WIZINE with ACE HARDWARE!
And HYLAR- DIERR- CARSMST are going to knock all your socks off.
With RIZAFF.
EQUALE- QUALISO- SQUET.
DEDST.

River said...

I think you made a very wise decision.

Friko said...

And there was I thinking you might have brought out your little pair of nail scissors, ready to defend your honour to the death.
Now I'll never know what would have happened.

Unknown said...

I'd trust your radar more than I'd trust my own.

Unknown said...

Goosebumps and shivers. Do you carry mace? An air horn/whistle/personal alarm???
Rosemary

Nance said...

Hair standing up on the back of my neck. "By the pricking of my thumbs..."

Looked up the lyrics to jog my memory on Billy Preston's song. For some reason, it seemed apropo to this SC Primary voter's day...but, since I just voted (Check-in lady at the polls sez, "You're a DEMOCRAT! OMG!") I may have a one-track mind by now. Paranoia is parking your VW with the Obama 2012 bumper sticker in the parking lot of the local elementary school/polling place on Republican Primary Day in SC.