It Always Feels Like Somebody's Watching Me.

First my apologies for not posting this week... end of school craziness = not dating.

**Read Just Say No. before reading this**

I was right... I hadn't heard the last from the Subway stalker. Not by a long shot. If I had foresight, well, maybe I would have been brave and just said no when he first asked for my number. In the previous update, he was just calling me, daily. like 3 times a day. Nothing really scary about it. Just a little obsessive. I answered the phone accidentally last Sunday night while I was driving back to Brooklyn, I had my head piece in and didn't have the phone in front of me to see the caller-ID. He had just called about an hour before while I was at dinner... I guess I should have realized that crazy is crazy, and logic like that does not work. I ended up talking to him for about an hour on my drive back. I kept mentioning that I was not looking to date anyone over the summer, and actually sparked a heated racial conversation with him. (I just happened to mention that a parent of one of my students told me that she hates white women) I wasn't hoping to create a racial debate, but I wouldn't have shied away from it at this point. Convinced that this guy can be deterred without me having to come out and say it... I'm just not GOOD at that. So at one point he asks me what time I ride the train in the morning. I figure the best bet here is to be vague.. as vague as possible. My answer. well depending on how early or late I'm running, anytime between the 7:45 train and the 8:10 train. There are at least 3 of the local trains that run at these times, and sometimes i take the express to catch the local... so it's a toss up. I mean I could have told him that lately it's been 8:10 since I have no desire to get to work early... but come on. I'm not THAT stupid. So he persists, of course... what time am I going to be on the train tomorrow. Score! I'm not taking the train tomorrow, and I tell him this. Oh, but this mere detail is a minor setback in the subway stalkers grand scheme. Oh, well what time do you think you'll be on the train on Tuesday? I have no idea. and I tell him this. Sure enough, Tuesday morning at 7:40 my phone rings. ANYONE who knows me, and knows me well, knows that I DO NOT talk on the phone in the morning. I try not to utter a single word to the world until it is of the utmost necessity. I am NOT a morning person. So I was irritated that my phone was even ringing, I saw who was calling, silenced the phone, and went back to getting ready, stopped at the corner bakery for some coffee, and on my way to catch the 8:10 train, checked the message that had been left a GOOD 20 minutes prior. It was the subway stalker wanting to know if I wanted to ride the train with him that morning. Figuring that he called at the time when I would have been getting on the earliest possible train, 7:40... he covered his bases well. Well, I don't think that any man in his right mind would wait for 3 subway trains to pass before getting on. Well, chalk one up for my stalker. I was sitting in a 2 seater bench on the subway, closest to the door between cars. I like sitting there in the morning because even though the car is not crowded, i can put my stuff on the bench and not worry about someone grabbing something. And sure enough, we get to his stop.. and there he is. He is not deterred that he called me 2 times the day before and once already that morning, none of which I answered or returned. He squeezes himself into the 2 seater. all nice and cozy. and then he said, "oh I thought I saw you in another car.. and I was thinking, what is she doing in another car?" Oh dear lord... seriously? he's scanning the subway cars.. and waiting for me. He also took the time during this subway ride to mention the fact that he has "an anger problem." Oh, great. That's just swell. Now I want to have your babies. Where do I sign up?

Once we got to the stop, I waited for 2 other teachers who happened to be in other cars, so I wouldn't have to walk out with him. He seemed disappointed that I didn't want him to walk me out. I had made it through the ride in and was home free, right? wrong... I stayed late at school that day. I was working with the technology teacher on a slide show for graduation, and 10 of 5, my phone rings. I look at the number, and say to the technology teacher, "10 to 1, this guy wants to know what time I am leaving so we can ride the train back together. bet me." We probably didn't leave the school for a full half hour after that. I went to the subway, holding my breath, praying I didn't see him. Made it through the turnstile, no sign of him. down to the platform... no sign of him! woohoo! I put on my Ipod, and am SO relieved. Well, wouldn't you know, not even 2 minutes later, who shows up on the platform? There is NO way that I buy that as a coincidence. I waited. and he still was there. So now I'm thoroughly creeped out. and really want to run away. He of course sits with me on the subway car, but this time I choose a long bench... and continues to ask me when we're going on our date. He doesn't get it. I actually said to him, "Um, we're not!" and still, that did not sway his determination. He was getting off the train, and told me to call him tonight. Yeah right. does this guy get that in ALL the times he has called me, I have not once called him. apparently not. I was out with a friend that night, and we counted, he had called me 12 times in 6 days. without one returned call from me. While I was out with my friend, he called again. and this time left a message, sounding thoroughly irate that I didn't call him as he instructed me, and mentioning that maybe I forgot about him. Um, he's just getting that now? No. So, he doesn't call all day Wednesday. And I think I'm home free.. for real this time. Thursday morning, 7:40... my phone rings. again. Same deal as Tuesday, but I learned my lesson. I rode in a different car, and made sure I was obscured from any good window views. He was on that 8:10 train, but not in my car. I saw him walking up the subway stairs as I was coming up mine. I kind of ducked back, so he wouldn't see me. I don't know if he saw me or not. He then called me on my lunch break. Normally, we stay in for lunch, but for a treat, once in a while my co-worker and I will go to the only place in Bed-Stuy that is safe to eat, McDonalds. The only place that's not "Crown Chicken" or Chinese Food... Anyway, I digress. Where we are sitting is pretty open. Lots of windows, etc. Very easy to spot two white girls sitting in a both by the window... My phone rings, I look at it. Silence the ringer. Put it back in my bag. Then it dawns on me. He could very well have been watching me. Just to see what I do. So not only am I creeped out, but now I'm a little scared. He didn't call after that for almost 2 whole days. He called 2 times this past Saturday, and once on Sunday. He hasn't called since. 2 full days with no phone calls. This may be the longest stretch. I am still nervous on the train in the morning. But tomorrow is my last day. I am glad this didn't happen earlier in the year, I'm not used to being so alert first thing in the morning, and to tell the truth, its a bad way to start the day.

On other subway news, a homeless man called me a slut and pulled out a razor blade. I wonder if he was friends with the fish kisser.. cause then, I might understand his rationale. Good days on the train for me. Maybe my vacation will bring better things.

Next date: Tomorrow. with a bespectacled jdate boy that I am VERY excited to go out with. I emailed him first... asked him out. you know, this is like my date. it's in my neighborhood and we're not even going to Thai. wow.