The People You Meet... and Avoid

As I learn my way around DC, I feel the need to constantly keep my guard up. I try not to look vulnerable when I make stupid mistakes - like waiting for the Metro to arrive for fifteen minutes, only to realize that I was waiting for the wrong train. That's what happened on Tuesday night. I was waiting for the Red Line to Glenmont. I live on the NW side of DC and Glenmont is Northeast in Maryland. So, I was on the right line, but headed in the opposite direction. And it took me a really long time to figure that out. So, when the wrong train arrived, I just joined the herd of people exiting that train, and walked inconspicuously over to the other side of the Metro station. I'm so smooth. It's not easy - I go to great lengths to look like I know where I'm going.

So, I may be smooth but my timing sucks. I was too late and had to wait another 15 minutes for my train. So, I walked to the other side and sat down on one of the two benches they kindly provide for their hundreds of thousands of customers each weekday. As I was reading my copy of Express (which I receive from a kind man in a bright yellow vest every morning) I had an eerie feeling like I was being watched. I looked up and saw a white haired old man in the middle of the station looking in my direction. I didn't feel threatened or anything like that - he was old and carried a cane. I think I could take him, but I would never have to, the station was very busy by this time. But I'm new to the city so I've always got my guard up.

I kept reading, but watching the old dude out of the corner of my eye. He was inching toward me ever-so-slowly. I look up, he's not moving, but he's looking right at me; I look away. I look up again and he's not moving, but he's a little bit closer and still looking right at me. It was kind of weird; like a senior citizen in stealth mode. Now I'm starting to get distracted from my paper b/c I'm thinking, "What is this guy's deal?" Is he a pervert? I'm leaning forward - is he looking down my shirt? Is he eyeballing my duffel bag? What? He keeps looking over at me!

While I was pretending to ignore him, he came up closer and was nearly standing right over me. It was time for a confrontation. He was about to invade my personal space.

I look up at him quickly and lock eyes to challenge him. I need to let him know I mean business. He speaks first: "Pardon me, but could you possibly move over a bit so I can sit down?"

Oh.

How strange.

The man with a cane was actually just a physically handicapped person who wanted to sit down in a busy station. How was I to know??

This made me realize the extent of my hyper-awareness while I'm on my own out here. It's all about me. I was so busy trying to figure out what this guy was up to that I didn't even notice the obvious. I felt like a total jerk.

For now, I think I'm still better off in my hyper-aware state than to just assume every old man is just a nice but weary traveller in need of help. Once I feel confident that I know my way around I'll let my guard down a bit and perhaps stay out by myself later than 10pm. But while I'm still learning the bus schedule and the Metro lines, I'm afraid a few senior citizens may fall victim to my vigilance.