Blog 67: Females Should Really Read this One

               I’ve decided to dedicate an entire blog to my Easton visit on Saturday. My boyfriend was meeting up with some old friends at Easton to throw a surprise party for his friend at his dad’s pub there. His junky car was being shady, so I decided to drive him there as it’s only 30 minutes from his home and I needed to get some shopping done.

               We got there early and parked, moseyed around the mall until he needed to meet up with his friends. We parted ways until the dinner was over, which was a HUGE mistake. I walked around the mall, visiting several stores in search of a birthday gift for his 6 year old sister. I made a purchase, bought a pretzel and decided to kill some time in Barnes and Nobles. Whilst there, I looked for Sarah Palin’s new book, more to flip through it than to buy it.

               A man followed me into a corner of the store, I had been keeping an eye on him and assumed that he was looking for a book. He turned and looked at me, then asked me if I was there alone. Shocked, I said no, pushed past him and left the store. He followed me out. I sat next to a family at a table by the crowded fountain plaza, not looking back. They were confused and surprised but responded to my prompts about the weather. After an hour or so, they left and I had no idea if the guy could still see me or even if he was following me. I sat in the crowd for another two hours, knowing that I was in a public place, but terrified to leave or go back to the store and inform them, to find a police officer. I was having a silent anxiety attack  and couldn’t function. Eventually, boyfriend’s party was over and I told him to come and get me. After he came, we rounded a corner and I changed my sweatshirt. He accompanied me through to my car, I took down my OSU parking pass from my visor and we got out of there. I took a convoluted way back to his house and was comfortable that no one followed us.

               I wasn’t able to explain what happened until after the fact, although he could tell something was wrong and did as I said. I wish I was able to think and take the measures necessary to get a police man, but there wasn’t any in sight and I was frozen with fear. I was having an anxiety attack and couldn’t function beyond the instinctual things that I did. After the fact, I don’t remember any identifying details about the guy.

               I’m glad that I was able to take the measures that I did to say safe. I attribute it to the paranoid teachings of my mercenary father from when I was little. He was always thinking of these sort of things and repeating them. Thinking back about what I did wrong, I don’t remember any other female in that whole mall that was alone. They were all travelling in groups, with friends or moms. I should’ve had someone go with me.

               The cautionary point: DO NOT GO TO THE MALL ALONE. There are evil people everywhere, and safety is as important in the suburban mall as it is in a big city. 

               I never did get to preview that Sarah Palin book.