Just Weird

I just got home from a run down town. Finally got the paint to finish the bedroom --- now the success of the paint on the walls will be a different story. Maybe tomorrow. (At this point I break into Tomorrow from Annie) But that isn't this tale.

I'm tooling toward my house in the convertible -- top down, radio on. As I turn the corner toward home I notice this beat up car behind me. Now I try not to be paranoid about such things --- there are a lot of beat up cars out there. But as I get to the house I push the button for the garage door to go up and slow down to go around the trash can that was unceremoniously left upside down and well out toward the middle of the street. I whip on into the garage and the car that was behind me dodges my trash can (thank you) then speeds off looking my way. That creepy feeling you get sometimes when things aren't just right arrived.
As I walk back down the drive to retrieve the abused trash receptacle the car which had turned around at the corner pulls up and stops. I glance over at the neighbors house to see that Thomas is still out mowing --- if I need him he's close. "Ma'am can you tell me how to get to Beltway 8," asked the rather scruffy looking man in a voice that was hard to tell if it was just broken English or liquor slurred --- maybe both. I was taken aback by this question. For those not in the know I'm 90 miles from Beltway 8 --- Beltway 8 is in Houston!
My reply to him was that, "Beltway 8 is in Houston."
Now his next question leads me to think he is intoxicated, "Well, where am I?"
I told him and I also told him how to get headed towards Houston. Now as I write this, I'm thinking I probably should have paid closer attention to the car, gotten a tag number and called the police. Instead, I just came in the house, closed the garage door and made sure my house doors are locked. Beltway 8? (sigh, head shake)

Just a Little Spooked

On Monday a little before noon I had a very disturbing phone call --- two calls actually. If it had only been one I would have probably ignored the whole thing. Here's what transpired.

When I answered the phone a male voice asked, "Is Robert home?"

The voice was friendly and since Robert does have friends I don't know well and was out of town traveling to a family reunion and the recent passing of his mother etc. I replied, "No, he's not back yet."

"When will he be back?" asked the voice.

Now this is where I'm really stupid, I know, but I'm also a trusting person. I answered, "I expect him back about two."

Ready for creepy? The male voice said, "Good, that'll give us time for phone sex."

My mind went instantly to *someone is just playing a joke*, no one really does that, and out of my mouth came, "Who is this?" really thinking it was just one of Robert's friends just playing around.

The voice answered, "You don't need to know that. Will you have phone sex?"

Again I asked, "Who is this?" Like he would really tell me.

His reply was that request again. I just hung up the phone. I didn't scream NO or slam the phone down or anything like that, I just simply hung up the phone and stood there staring at it trying to process what had just happened. It was just a few seconds later, I hadn't even walked away when the phone rang again.

The voice said, "I guess that means no, you won't have phone sex. "

I asked again, "Who is this?" Can anyone explain why that is all that would come out of my mouth?

The voice replied, "If I tell you, can we have phone sex?" Again I just hung up the phone. This time I locked the doors, grabbed my cell phone and called D. I had to tell someone, I had to let someone know.

She suggested I call the police, not because they would be able to do anything, but so there would be a record of this happening. That was the reassurance I needed to make the call to Bay City's finest. The dispatcher was very nice and a little taken back by my tale of being propositioned via the phone. A police officer came over later and we talked a few minutes. He basically told me what I already knew. There really wasn't anything they could do but for me to call them back if anything like this happened again.

Since Monday, I've been much more careful about keeping the doors locked. This pervert has my phone number and address. I checked the phone book. We are listed as Bain, Robert and Patsy and our house address is right there. Yikes. I'm not really scared, but I know I need to be a little more careful, a little more vigilant. So as they used to said on Hill Street Blues, * be careful out there.*