The last few days and the upcoming day’s were/are all about work. Nothing wrong with that! Unfortunately my trip to Australia won’t pay itself! But today I had a day off and decided to spend it in the gym, and so, completely zen, I left the gym this afternoon when the following happened:
I was on my way to the shopping centre near my home to get my beloved moustache cat some delicious cat food. I passed a man on a bicycle when I heard him saying something to me. I couldn’t exactly hear what he said, but it had something to do with my body. I thought whatever and kept on cycling to the mall. Nothing that has not happened ever before, just let it pass. I hadn’t noticed, but apparently he decided to follow me. When the bicycle path stopped I went on on foot and that’s when he catched up on me. I thought God, no, this is going to be annoying. And as usual it was. He made some sexual comments and wanted to know where I was going. I told him it wasn’t any of his business where I was going, not even in a unkind way. Oddly enough I said it with a polite tone. I think I just thought he’d go away, but instead he told me I shouldn’t act like that, that I should thank him for all the compliments and asked if I wasn’t allowed to talk to strangers. I answered that I must have been raised very different, because I never open a conversation with a stranger with sexual remarks about one’s body. He however said that it was just normal and went on asking where I was going and that he was planning on seeing me again in the gym. I had not seen him there, but I still had my fitness clothing on, so he may have assumed I came from there. He also wanted to know if I was going to buy groceries and kept on circling around me, while I was still trying to make my way to the mall. I stopped reacting, since he was staring to get on my nerves, but he didn’t have any plans to stop asking me all his questions anytime soon. Do you live nearby? Do you? Are you going to buy groceries? Where are you going? I WILL see you again. I will see you at the gym or around here. I will.
I finally arrived at the shopping centre, put my bike away and locked it, still hearing the man saying stuff in the background. I quickened my pace and went in, hoping he wouldn’t follow me. Finally I thought I lost him and did my groceries. I must have been there for at least 25 minutes, but when I came outside (from a different exit) I saw him sitting on a bench where my bicycle was parked. He was waiting for me to come out.. I normally don’t do this when a guy is following me around, because they mostly just give up after a while, but I called my dad to pick me up at the mall (who ofcourse came right away, worried and angry). Since I came from a different exit I managed to get my bike behind his back. Luckily he couldn’t hear me, because he was busy talking to someone on the phone in his native language, but when I tried to make my way out of there he started to holler at me. I’m glad he did not decide to come after me. A few minutes later my dad arrived and the police was called. They could only warn him, but probably had to take him to the station anyway for other business involving him.
Well that was a great day off! I’m joking around, but the guy did remind me I’m still looking for a new house in the centre of Rotterdam. He and people like him in my neighbourhood gave me another reason today to start looking into my options. I won’t be scared off by them, but it did encourage me to take some action concerning this bucket list item. And so I registered myself as interested person for a new construction project in the city near my old home before I moved back in with my parents!
I can’t wait to get back there, let’s hope for the best!
