Don't Talk to Strangers
As much as I want to be a good person, there's that fine line between being kind and being downright stupid about the reality that evil exists.
I realized this yesterday, because of strange incident the night before that.
I was on my way to take the train. As usual, I took my route through a mall since it's much safer. By the way, I've been taking the same route since I was a freshman, and in the number of years that I have been taking the same route, this was the first time that something strange happened. Usually the most "unusual" thing would be to bump into someone familiar.
Anyway, I notice that this fellow keeps looking over at my direction as I walk. So I walked faster. He seemed to be headed in the same direction as I-- to the train station. But a few steps before I got to exit, I hear an, "excuse me" and find that it was the same man... I thought he was lost.
He asked if I'd consider modeling for their advertising agency. I should have walked away the moment he gave his name and number because there was no business card. But I, slightly nervous that he might do something drastic (like pull out a sharp object if I say, "no" to anything he says), decide to humor him by listening to what he has to say.
It took a long time, the conversation. And I still couldn't inch away, partly because I was nervous that he might actually try to grab me (there was no security guard in sight), and mostly because I was still trying to keep myself awake from lack of sleep from the night before.
The topic flew from modeling to New Age beliefs. Before I knew it, he was talking about the end of the world, karma and reincarnation. He even dropped a few names of "cults" (I'd like to believe that they are) which follow all sorts of beliefs.
It all ended with him simply saying that I should just call back if I'm interested. He also mentions where their office is located.
Now that I think about it, I still wish that I simply brushed him off. Usually I can actually be rude with strangers... but I had no idea why I couldn't just shake this guy off. I'm annoyed that I didn't, and would have saved myself the fear that he would actually be in the same area next time I pass by.
According to my parents, it was just good that he didn't invite me anywhere or do anything worse than talk to me. I already thought of a number of ways to avoid him if I see him next time (I hope there never will be another one). My mom even said that fellows like that can even hypnotize people to do things, as was the case of her office mate who handed a complete stranger about P20,000 in cash from her own ATM account.
I suppose that I'll just have to take this experience as a lesson to be more discriminating with the people I bother to talk to. T_T;
I really should try to be meaner...
I realized this yesterday, because of strange incident the night before that.
I was on my way to take the train. As usual, I took my route through a mall since it's much safer. By the way, I've been taking the same route since I was a freshman, and in the number of years that I have been taking the same route, this was the first time that something strange happened. Usually the most "unusual" thing would be to bump into someone familiar.
Anyway, I notice that this fellow keeps looking over at my direction as I walk. So I walked faster. He seemed to be headed in the same direction as I-- to the train station. But a few steps before I got to exit, I hear an, "excuse me" and find that it was the same man... I thought he was lost.
He asked if I'd consider modeling for their advertising agency. I should have walked away the moment he gave his name and number because there was no business card. But I, slightly nervous that he might do something drastic (like pull out a sharp object if I say, "no" to anything he says), decide to humor him by listening to what he has to say.
It took a long time, the conversation. And I still couldn't inch away, partly because I was nervous that he might actually try to grab me (there was no security guard in sight), and mostly because I was still trying to keep myself awake from lack of sleep from the night before.
The topic flew from modeling to New Age beliefs. Before I knew it, he was talking about the end of the world, karma and reincarnation. He even dropped a few names of "cults" (I'd like to believe that they are) which follow all sorts of beliefs.
It all ended with him simply saying that I should just call back if I'm interested. He also mentions where their office is located.
Now that I think about it, I still wish that I simply brushed him off. Usually I can actually be rude with strangers... but I had no idea why I couldn't just shake this guy off. I'm annoyed that I didn't, and would have saved myself the fear that he would actually be in the same area next time I pass by.
According to my parents, it was just good that he didn't invite me anywhere or do anything worse than talk to me. I already thought of a number of ways to avoid him if I see him next time (I hope there never will be another one). My mom even said that fellows like that can even hypnotize people to do things, as was the case of her office mate who handed a complete stranger about P20,000 in cash from her own ATM account.
I suppose that I'll just have to take this experience as a lesson to be more discriminating with the people I bother to talk to. T_T;
I really should try to be meaner...