Strangers with Candy

Thank god I didn't drink. Who knew I would ever say such a thing and who knows if I ever will again?

Between sets I contemplated going to the bar, but the guy next to me was interesting enough to keep me from doing so. Divine intervention? Perhaps, because after the show while I was frantically digging through my purse to find a borrowed bus card I found myself sandwiched between two men who were simultaneously addressing me. One was asking for money, the other, I have no idea, but they were both spouting off while I was digging through my trash heap of a purse. I stood up to walk away and dropped a bunch of my stuff. They both offered up lamentations and asked me what was wrong. "Ah! I am just trying to find something and you guys are hassling me." I walked away and the "I have no idea" fellow followed me. 

"Hey, so shit, shiiiit, you like wanna go to the House of Pancakes?"

"No, sorry, I don't like pancakes."

"You don't like pancakes?"

"I'm vegan and House of Pancakes doesn't work for me."

And cut to next scene:

"Hey so can I like hit you up sometime? I just want to get to know you, you know what I mean?"

"I have a boyfriend."

"Shit, like, that doesn't matter. Fuckin'. I don't mean like that. I just want to get to know you. You feel me?"

And cut to next scene:

"Shit, fuckin', like shit, you know?"

"No. I have no idea what you're talking about right now."

And cut to next scene:

"Hey, so could I go home with you tonight?"

"No, I have a boyfriend. I already told you that."

"Shit, so I need food. You know the House of Pancakes on Madison?"

"I know where it is. I don't like pancakes. I already told you that too."

"What's funny?"

And cut to next scene:

"So you were at the show or something?"

"Yeah."

"Do you drink? Did you drink at the show?"

"I didn't drink at the show."

"Oh they don't let you drink, do they?"

"They do, but I wanted to get home so I didn't drink. Are you going to get home alright? Maybe you should go get some water, and bread."

During this interaction, I spotted three girls. I was certain that they were SPUers. I don't know what it was, but if you have gone to SPU you will probably understand this. They weren't saying anything, weren't wearing any SPU regalia, and appeared spiritually-neutral, but there was something that whispered, "we go to SPU and we will help you."

I stepped towards them. "Hey, so what bus are you guys taking?"

"The two, I was actually just going to ask you that."

"Oh, awesome, me too." 

They saved me, though my pursuer lingered until the bus pulled away. On the ride back, we talked about what had just happened and one girl told me that next time that happens I should drop the F-bomb and be a bitch. I told her that I contemplated that, but he was visibly loaded and I was leery about setting him off on a rage. I was worried that if I angered him, he might turn and become confrontational or violent. A woman overheard our conversation and moved up to the front of the bus to tell me that more often than not, the "nice ones" are the ones who are assaulted. Rarely are rude women assaulted. 

A few months ago, someone strongly defended the fact that he thinks most people are good, and therefore ought to be given a chance. Maybe I took it too far tonight though. Maybe I was in some sort of "danger." I hate that in this world we sometimes have to go there, though. Should we assume the worst of people at times like these? It would make so much more sense if all people could be trusted, and I want to believe that all people deserve respect and to be given love. 

Sure, I was worried that he might hurt me so I didn't want to be rude, but I also thought that he may have just needed to connect with someone for a while. He deserves it too, right? We are all human beings with the need to connect and sense some sort of love. Maybe not. I don't know. Maybe one might jump on the mental instability train and argue that this guy was functioning on a different level, thereby making the situation exceptional. I guess I didn't feel like I was in danger since I was surrounded people who had also just left the show. I probably would have behaved differently if I had been alone. 

I feel like I need to reassure my most devoted subscriber at this time: Mom, it's okay. I'm okay.

Anyway, I was grateful for sobriety, these women and the fact that I would never enter a mousetrap full of pancakes.