A female coworker of mine and myself decided to go pick up some lunch at a nearby deli that serves hot plate lunches. We had a fairly long walk ahead of us that ends up being about 10 blocks. It is a walk from St. Charles to Tchopotulis. We have made this walk many times before and while I wouldn't walk it at night, during business hours I have never felt unsafe. Well, until today.
Our walk to the restaurant was uneventful at best. It was hot today so I commented on how hot it was and we chatted about random crap. We went in and got our food to go and started making our walk back. About half a block before we reached the street we turn on, and about only 2 blocks from the restaurant, we passed a kid that appeared out of place. The kid was in bluejeans, beat up shoes, and a blue sweatshirt. The kid had dirty blond hair and his condition made him appear as though he was homeless. The kid looked no older than 16 and even as young as 13, so it caught me off guard that this kid was there sitting on a busy street on a curb, looking homeless, in the middle of a working day. I keep saying the kid because I do not know whether it was male or female. All I knew was that the kid looked very young and had no pronounced features that allowed me to identify his gender. Obviously we just walked by, I didn't look at the kid nor stop or make any gestures, we just passed like we didn't even notice. We took our turn and continued 2 more blocks before we had to stop at an intersection. Once we stopped I felt someone stop close behind to my right side. My coworker was to me left and you could see by her body language she felt someone to her right. I slightly looked to the left to catch what it was in my peripheral and it was the kid we had seen a few minutes ago. The light changed and we crossed the street with the kid right behind and walking with us. I continued to keep this kid in my peripheral vision as we walked and also ran through a few situations that might happen next. Finally after about a block of silence the kid broke it by asking if either of us had the time. My coworkers stopped to check her watch and I told the kid sternly, "No, I do not have the time." He then repeted, "no? you dont have the time?" To which I replied no. My coworker then told the kid the time, it was around 11:35. We then began to walk again and the kid kept on walking with us. However, since we had stopped the kid had now gained ground and was actually walking between the two of us.
As soon as I noticed the kid had separated us I stopped and turned to the kid and asked sternly, "Can I help you?" To which he replied, "I am just walking." I said well if you are just walking then WALK ON. I said it very loudly and demanded he continue to walk. He replied, "Well, aren't you walking to? I am just walking with you two," and he chuckled nervously. At this point I realized we were in a situation that I had gone through in my head but always assumed I would have a weapon on me for. I searched my pockets and all I could come up with were some keys. After another block or so of walking he asked what we had to eat, I looked forward to ignore him and my coworker answered him. He turned and asked me and I said the same as her. Continuing to walk and look over I could notice the look on my coworkers face. She was worried what would be happening next, and I found myself to be in the same predicament. I had to do something or at least prepare for something to happen so I continued to race through my mind on what to do. He continued to walk with us now falling back slightly but staying VERY close, dangerously close to us. A block later he asked us if we liked flowers and held up a flower that he had in his hand. I said no and my coworker says the same and we kept walking. Then we hit another intersection with a light and I realized it was about to escalate. The kid came very close to me and I quickly spun around and stared the kid directly in the eyes and the kid went from chuckling and smiling to very serious. My next move was to yell at the kid to, "WALK ON OR I WOULD USE A MEANS TO DEFEND MYSELF BECAUSE I FELT THREATENED." But before this could happen, my coworker grabbed my arm and yanked me across the street. She said out loud, "come on... keep crossing the street... come on come on."
You could tell she was worried and I honestly wasn't sure what was happening if the kid was still behind us or what. As soon as we got across I turned around again to see that the kid had kept on walking up the street instead of crossing with us. My coworker had diffused the situation right at the point where it could have easily escalated. We chatted for a second about what had just happened and both agreed we honestly didn't know what was going to happen nor what the hell any of that was about. Looking back, the only thing I could have done differently was to actually have had a better means to defend myself if that had been necessary. The carrying of concealed weapons are not allowed at work, but I will be looking to invest in some defensive spray and I will start carrying a pocket knife. I almost feel as though stopping at my car every day to get my gun might be an even better solution but I wouldn't want to scare my coworker with that so I am looking at other options. Honestly, this is the first time anything this close to an altercation with a stranger has ever happened and it has me pretty shaken up. I am glad nothing happened but what could have happened? How would you have handled this situation? What would you have done differently? I would love to hear your responses.
Thanks guys,
Chris
Our walk to the restaurant was uneventful at best. It was hot today so I commented on how hot it was and we chatted about random crap. We went in and got our food to go and started making our walk back. About half a block before we reached the street we turn on, and about only 2 blocks from the restaurant, we passed a kid that appeared out of place. The kid was in bluejeans, beat up shoes, and a blue sweatshirt. The kid had dirty blond hair and his condition made him appear as though he was homeless. The kid looked no older than 16 and even as young as 13, so it caught me off guard that this kid was there sitting on a busy street on a curb, looking homeless, in the middle of a working day. I keep saying the kid because I do not know whether it was male or female. All I knew was that the kid looked very young and had no pronounced features that allowed me to identify his gender. Obviously we just walked by, I didn't look at the kid nor stop or make any gestures, we just passed like we didn't even notice. We took our turn and continued 2 more blocks before we had to stop at an intersection. Once we stopped I felt someone stop close behind to my right side. My coworker was to me left and you could see by her body language she felt someone to her right. I slightly looked to the left to catch what it was in my peripheral and it was the kid we had seen a few minutes ago. The light changed and we crossed the street with the kid right behind and walking with us. I continued to keep this kid in my peripheral vision as we walked and also ran through a few situations that might happen next. Finally after about a block of silence the kid broke it by asking if either of us had the time. My coworkers stopped to check her watch and I told the kid sternly, "No, I do not have the time." He then repeted, "no? you dont have the time?" To which I replied no. My coworker then told the kid the time, it was around 11:35. We then began to walk again and the kid kept on walking with us. However, since we had stopped the kid had now gained ground and was actually walking between the two of us.
As soon as I noticed the kid had separated us I stopped and turned to the kid and asked sternly, "Can I help you?" To which he replied, "I am just walking." I said well if you are just walking then WALK ON. I said it very loudly and demanded he continue to walk. He replied, "Well, aren't you walking to? I am just walking with you two," and he chuckled nervously. At this point I realized we were in a situation that I had gone through in my head but always assumed I would have a weapon on me for. I searched my pockets and all I could come up with were some keys. After another block or so of walking he asked what we had to eat, I looked forward to ignore him and my coworker answered him. He turned and asked me and I said the same as her. Continuing to walk and look over I could notice the look on my coworkers face. She was worried what would be happening next, and I found myself to be in the same predicament. I had to do something or at least prepare for something to happen so I continued to race through my mind on what to do. He continued to walk with us now falling back slightly but staying VERY close, dangerously close to us. A block later he asked us if we liked flowers and held up a flower that he had in his hand. I said no and my coworker says the same and we kept walking. Then we hit another intersection with a light and I realized it was about to escalate. The kid came very close to me and I quickly spun around and stared the kid directly in the eyes and the kid went from chuckling and smiling to very serious. My next move was to yell at the kid to, "WALK ON OR I WOULD USE A MEANS TO DEFEND MYSELF BECAUSE I FELT THREATENED." But before this could happen, my coworker grabbed my arm and yanked me across the street. She said out loud, "come on... keep crossing the street... come on come on."
You could tell she was worried and I honestly wasn't sure what was happening if the kid was still behind us or what. As soon as we got across I turned around again to see that the kid had kept on walking up the street instead of crossing with us. My coworker had diffused the situation right at the point where it could have easily escalated. We chatted for a second about what had just happened and both agreed we honestly didn't know what was going to happen nor what the hell any of that was about. Looking back, the only thing I could have done differently was to actually have had a better means to defend myself if that had been necessary. The carrying of concealed weapons are not allowed at work, but I will be looking to invest in some defensive spray and I will start carrying a pocket knife. I almost feel as though stopping at my car every day to get my gun might be an even better solution but I wouldn't want to scare my coworker with that so I am looking at other options. Honestly, this is the first time anything this close to an altercation with a stranger has ever happened and it has me pretty shaken up. I am glad nothing happened but what could have happened? How would you have handled this situation? What would you have done differently? I would love to hear your responses.
Thanks guys,
Chris
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I am glad that you are both ok after that long, ballzy encounter. 
