I just hope my awesome spirit doesn't get me in trouble. Last night as Alan and I were coming home from Court, there were all these people on the trains. Now we don't usually take trains, we use Access-a-ride to go TO and FROM places.

But because you don't know when you get out of Court, we had to go home by train. This was at 8:30 p.m. Still light outside and trains are jam packed full of people. So here we are, two almost 60 year old people, full of arthritis, walking slowly up and down stairs to trains, and holding on for dear life.

And the people are running in front of us, behind us, healthy legs, just running whereever they have to run and I'm holding on to Alan.

So I sit down (now remember I'm almost 60, I look okay for my age, I' wearing a conservative black top, a skirt and my sneakers. And I have makeup on. But I'M ALMOST 60!!! I'm saying this for a reason.

Alan and I are sitting as the train is going, and I look to my right and there's this guy staring at me. Now I'm not imagining anything, Lord knows I KNOW when a man is staring at me. So I look away, then I look back and he's STARING AT ME. Then he gets up and he starts humming Silent Night. Everybody of course is wondering who is humming Silent Night. Then he starts humming and singing Jewish Songs. He was wearing orthodox jewish clothing so I knew he was religious. So he moves his seat and we still hear the singing.

Now we get off at 36th Street and HE GETS OFF AT 36TH STREET. We change trains. AND HE CHANGES TRAINS. He gets on our train.

I look at Alan and I say "why is this guy taking the same two trains as we are? Alan just shrugged. Then we get off at 18th Avenue AND HE GETS OFF AT 18TH AVENUE. So Alan and I waiting for the bus to take us home.
The guy is standing 3 feet from me mumbling to himself.

The bus pulls up and stops dead midway between me and the guy. The bus doors open up and the guy takes off his hat, bows and make a sweeping gesture as if to say "ladies first". I said nothing and got on the bus with Alan behind me. The guy gets on the bus.

I sit next to Alan and I say "If this nut gets off at our stop, I'm not walking home," And Alan says "melody, what are the odds this guy is getting off when we do?" and I said "what are the odds that this guy took 2 trains and the same bus and he's on the bus WITH US RIGHT NOW???

Alan just shook his head and said "Listen, have some faith in me, if he tries anything, I'll take care of him". So we are riding on the bus and the nutty guy is all the way in the back. I never turned around to look at him.

We get to our stop and we get off. DO YOU KNOW THAT HE GETS OFF TOO!!!!!

I'm standing there and I say to Alan "oh my god, the guy got off the bus too" Alan says "let's just stay here and watch what he does."

The guy never approached us, he walked across he street and went into a chinese take-out. Alan and I made sure he never saw which way we walked and we looked behind our backs as we walked the two blocks to our house.

I have never been so spooked. I once had a stalker (years and yearsa ago)and it puts a fear into your heart. I was shaking so when I got in the house, I was saying "what if finds where we live, what if he's nuts (well, you know what I mean)

Alan then says "don't worry, he did not follow us home, and you're safe because I propped a chair in front of the door and it's jammed. No one can get in. I took a xanax and went to bed. Of course I'm panicked. I mean, a guy takes the same trains, bus, and gets off at the same stop. What are the odds? I don't know but I do know I put a pocket knife in my purse and I have to go and make a wash today.

If I so much as see him, well, I don't know what I'll do. This getting older makes you fearful AND I DON'T LIKE TO BE FEARFUL!!! I have enough going on in my life.

Melody