METRO MAMMOGRAMS
The following blog may not be suitable for children under the age of 5. And for that matter, it may not be suitable for any human over the age of 5 either.
There are many bus stops that should be avoided at all possible costs. One in particular being the stop next to my house. Not only can you pick up a skeetch burger from the Jack In The Box, but get groceries from the Un-Safeway, burritos 24 hours a day at Memos, and drugs from one of the many Ave rats. And on this particular day, I found out those weren’t the only perks to the corner of 50th and University Ave.
The typical street people were out in full force so I did my best to keep to myself. You know, keep your head down, headphones in, talk to no one sort of look. (This works in many social contexts)
Out of all my bus peeps there was only one girl that appeared to be normal. She was about 20, clean, only wearing one pair of pants, and was holding a stack of books. My thoughts, a UW student. The girl starts to talk to me, asking if I am a student and what I’m studying. I answer and return the questions.
Then, she laughs. In my face.
Quite literally, comes closer and starts laughing in my face.
Okay.
Crazy radar is starting to flicker. I roll with it and slowly step away.
She steps closer and gives me a hug.
So, at this point I start to realize that she’s not fully there. Whether she’s on drugs or otherwise I don’t know, but obviously social boundaries are not her strength at the moment. I tell her that I have to go and start to walk away.
She grabs my arm and starts laughing again.
Crazy radar definitely in the red at this point.
Now, the entire time I try to be nice about the matter because she really does seem kind but not totally “in this world” so I didn’t think it would be right to shove her off and yell, so I once again tell her I have to leave.
At this point the crazy-o-meter would have rocked the charts.
She reaches over and grabs my chest. Double handed.
Followed by a laugh, naturally.
I’m fairly certain I wasn’t due for my annual check up, so I yelled NO to ol’ crazy hands and I took my invaded personal bubble elsewhere.
Again, she laughed. I really do think she was crazy.
I am finding that the phrase “did that really just happen” is all too familiar here in Seattle.
