I get way too worked up about things...
So. Not going into work until six-thirty, no idea when my brother is coming over to go thrift-shopping, nothing to hold my interest in the house. I decide to walk up to the inn where they let me sit in the lobby and use their internet. I do this quite often, no problem.
Today? I get stopped by cops.*
Making a short story longer than it needs to be, I'll start in my room, where I'd just packed Hal and charger into my bag and was on my way out. I was halfway out my bedroom door when I realized my pockets were empty of anything but my phone and stopped to contemplated the cards I'd left on my nightstand. My WalMart discount card was an obvious leave-it-behind; I had no intention of purchasing anything and was gonna be about ten minutes away, so no point in bringing my debit card; as for my ID, well, what was I going to do with that? The inn doesn't exactly post a bouncer at the lobby door, and they all know me there anyway. Deciding within seconds that I was too lazy to go back for anything that seemed unnecessary, I set out.
The road is usually pretty clear this time of day, and today was no different; only two cars in sight and sound. Sure, one was a police cruiser, but there were no lights and no sirens and, hey, crap happens. I paused at the corner to let the first car turn down the road and stayed fast when the cruiser stopped and didn't start going again. This is where I was first put off, but it's not like I've never seen cops holding still; maybe they were checking their directions, or actually needed to be in the middle of the road. Noticing they didn't have a turn signal on anyway, I made my crossing and went on my way. I heard the cops start driving again once I passed and, curiosity taking a strangle-hold on my cat, turned to see where they were headed.
Maybe I was reacting to a crime spree I'd embarked on in my sleep, but seeing them convene with another cruiser coming from the other direction (a dead end) took me seriously aback.** It didn't help that they were pretty much in front of my house. Still, I didn't know of any problem so I figured I'd just keep my nose in my own.
Less than a minute later, I heard a car approaching from behind. Since the way to the station is the same direction I was walking, I didn't think about it twice. I heard the car stop and didn't really think about that either; they were almost right where they'd started. Then I hear, "ma'am."
Was he talking to me? (OMGOMGOMG) Was he talking to me? (OMGOMGOMG) There was no one else around, so-- he must have been talking to me. (OMGOMGOMGIDIDN'TDOITIWASFRAMED) Having nothing to hide and being too lazy to run even if I did, I turned and made my way back to where he was just getting out of his car.
Do I live in the area? Yes, sir. Where? In that house right down that way, set back from the road and with the blue trash can at the end of the drive. Had I been out walking all day? No, sir, this is my first venture out of doors today. He looked kind of confused at this, like he'd reached into a lake to pull out a fish without considering the light refraction. Where was I headed? To the inn down at the corner. Would I please provide my date of birth and name? Of course. Great-- now, how about an ID? Oops.
The other cruiser pulled up while he was questioning me and two more cops got out. No threatening moves, and they didn't look particularly menacing, but at this point my heart started beating out "OVERKILL" in Morse Code. They approached and hovered while the first cop finished writing out my statement in his handy-dandy dollar store notebook and finally informed me that I'd been stopped because someone matching my description had been seen wandering around and generally making the neighbors nervous***.
While the first cop stood staring at his notes (and finally bothered to ask why I was going to the inn, which I'd have thought would have come up before that), one of the others had me stand directly in front of the car so that they had a good view of me; I was asked to turn over my bag and empty my pockets so that they could verify I wasn't carrying weapons. The cop looking through my bag-- it was a short look, since all I had was Hal, my charger and bag of chips I'd forgotten I'd left in the front pocket-- asked me again about an ID. I offered to run and get it, since I was only about three minutes from my house, but ended up just giving them my SSN, since I at least knew that much.
First cop went back to his car to run my information through and make sure I was who I said I was. Third cop just kept standing there; he didn't say anything the whole time, so I have no idea what purpose he was serving. The second cop, the one who'd looked through my bag (and had set it and my phone on the hood of the car, which left me ansty since I have this thing about my stuff being out of my possession), was actually pretty friendly. He talked and even joked with me while we waited, not that it really made me any less nervous so much as made me aware of what I was doing to make me look nervous (standing tense, fluttering my hands at my sides) so that I could stop doing it. First cop said I was clear, I collected my belongings and we parted ways.
All in all, this took maybe five to ten minutes of my life. Why do I still feel jumpy and anxious? Man, you tell me.
*Tbh, I'm sort of surprised that it's never happened before. Random chick walking down the street with a backpack that's obviously not holding much in the middle of the day? I can see how that seems sort of suspicious, even if I know that I'm not doing anything but minding my own business.
**Admittedly, turning to watch a police car and then jumping when I saw another probably didn't look too good.
***I never did figure out what the deal was with this. I seriously hadn't been out of the house at all yet, the neighbors see me go by all the time anyway and I don't know anything else about a girl fitting my general description loitering in the area.
Today? I get stopped by cops.*
Making a short story longer than it needs to be, I'll start in my room, where I'd just packed Hal and charger into my bag and was on my way out. I was halfway out my bedroom door when I realized my pockets were empty of anything but my phone and stopped to contemplated the cards I'd left on my nightstand. My WalMart discount card was an obvious leave-it-behind; I had no intention of purchasing anything and was gonna be about ten minutes away, so no point in bringing my debit card; as for my ID, well, what was I going to do with that? The inn doesn't exactly post a bouncer at the lobby door, and they all know me there anyway. Deciding within seconds that I was too lazy to go back for anything that seemed unnecessary, I set out.
The road is usually pretty clear this time of day, and today was no different; only two cars in sight and sound. Sure, one was a police cruiser, but there were no lights and no sirens and, hey, crap happens. I paused at the corner to let the first car turn down the road and stayed fast when the cruiser stopped and didn't start going again. This is where I was first put off, but it's not like I've never seen cops holding still; maybe they were checking their directions, or actually needed to be in the middle of the road. Noticing they didn't have a turn signal on anyway, I made my crossing and went on my way. I heard the cops start driving again once I passed and, curiosity taking a strangle-hold on my cat, turned to see where they were headed.
Maybe I was reacting to a crime spree I'd embarked on in my sleep, but seeing them convene with another cruiser coming from the other direction (a dead end) took me seriously aback.** It didn't help that they were pretty much in front of my house. Still, I didn't know of any problem so I figured I'd just keep my nose in my own.
Less than a minute later, I heard a car approaching from behind. Since the way to the station is the same direction I was walking, I didn't think about it twice. I heard the car stop and didn't really think about that either; they were almost right where they'd started. Then I hear, "ma'am."
Was he talking to me? (OMGOMGOMG) Was he talking to me? (OMGOMGOMG) There was no one else around, so-- he must have been talking to me. (OMGOMGOMGIDIDN'TDOITIWASFRAMED) Having nothing to hide and being too lazy to run even if I did, I turned and made my way back to where he was just getting out of his car.
Do I live in the area? Yes, sir. Where? In that house right down that way, set back from the road and with the blue trash can at the end of the drive. Had I been out walking all day? No, sir, this is my first venture out of doors today. He looked kind of confused at this, like he'd reached into a lake to pull out a fish without considering the light refraction. Where was I headed? To the inn down at the corner. Would I please provide my date of birth and name? Of course. Great-- now, how about an ID? Oops.
The other cruiser pulled up while he was questioning me and two more cops got out. No threatening moves, and they didn't look particularly menacing, but at this point my heart started beating out "OVERKILL" in Morse Code. They approached and hovered while the first cop finished writing out my statement in his handy-dandy dollar store notebook and finally informed me that I'd been stopped because someone matching my description had been seen wandering around and generally making the neighbors nervous***.
While the first cop stood staring at his notes (and finally bothered to ask why I was going to the inn, which I'd have thought would have come up before that), one of the others had me stand directly in front of the car so that they had a good view of me; I was asked to turn over my bag and empty my pockets so that they could verify I wasn't carrying weapons. The cop looking through my bag-- it was a short look, since all I had was Hal, my charger and bag of chips I'd forgotten I'd left in the front pocket-- asked me again about an ID. I offered to run and get it, since I was only about three minutes from my house, but ended up just giving them my SSN, since I at least knew that much.
First cop went back to his car to run my information through and make sure I was who I said I was. Third cop just kept standing there; he didn't say anything the whole time, so I have no idea what purpose he was serving. The second cop, the one who'd looked through my bag (and had set it and my phone on the hood of the car, which left me ansty since I have this thing about my stuff being out of my possession), was actually pretty friendly. He talked and even joked with me while we waited, not that it really made me any less nervous so much as made me aware of what I was doing to make me look nervous (standing tense, fluttering my hands at my sides) so that I could stop doing it. First cop said I was clear, I collected my belongings and we parted ways.
All in all, this took maybe five to ten minutes of my life. Why do I still feel jumpy and anxious? Man, you tell me.
*Tbh, I'm sort of surprised that it's never happened before. Random chick walking down the street with a backpack that's obviously not holding much in the middle of the day? I can see how that seems sort of suspicious, even if I know that I'm not doing anything but minding my own business.
**Admittedly, turning to watch a police car and then jumping when I saw another probably didn't look too good.
***I never did figure out what the deal was with this. I seriously hadn't been out of the house at all yet, the neighbors see me go by all the time anyway and I don't know anything else about a girl fitting my general description loitering in the area.