Shout It To The World

I have been sick these past few days, under the weather, dealing with job stress, and the only thing I wanted to do after work was get home, throw on my pajamas and the air conditioning and go to sleep.

The last thing I wanted to deal with was a group of corny fools hanging out on the streets.

I choose to walk home from the train station as opposed to catching a bus because I would love to avoid crowds as much as possible, it saves me money, the weather's nice and I get my exercise. The same group of men that I have featured not once, but twice on this blog were using that bus stop as their hangout, as usual. They hang out there every time I walk near there. It seems as if that's their only occupation---to harass women on the street. They were out there when I went to the market Saturday to buy things. They were out there yesterday morning as I walked to the train station to get to work. And they are out there as I speak, doing nothing but causing trouble. They don't change their clothes, they don't change their demeanor, they don't do SHIT to contribute to society!

So about fifteen minutes ago, I passed by there on my way home and I heard "miss, miss...yo, yo...psst...psst."

If I wanted to talk to any of these clowns, I would've done so the first time I encountered them. If I didn't respond to you the first time or the SECOND time, what makes you think I'll respond the THIRD damn time?!

I thought I could get away without having to say anything but one of them runs over to talk to me.

"Yo...yo!" he says. Yo...yo?! Does it look like I have the brand name Duncan stamped to my forehead?!

I responded back. You're supposed to match intensity with the harasser, but dealing with these clowns multiple times, not feeling well, and dealing with street harassment for a decade brought a lot of anger out of me.

"LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!!!" I yelled. "I want to get HOME!!!! I don't want to deal with some sorry losers hanging out at a GODDAMN bus stop every time I try to get home! Leave ME AND EVERY OTHER WOMAN who walks past this area ALONE!!!"

The dude backs off and goes back to his group. No backtalk, no ignorant comments, no threats---the dude backs off and leaves me alone. I was lucky...this time. When I spoke up the first time these clowns didn't get the hint to leave people alone...what guarantee do I have that today's instance will be the last?

There is no guarantee. I know that I want those men to find some place else to hang out. That is a public bus stop, not a private hangout, and people who want to use that spot the way it was intended should be able to feel free to do so without loitering losers congregating there. I'm going to have to get the neighborhood involved in this one. It is such a quiet, friendly, tight-knit community, and fools like these men ruin that peaceful environment we want to maintain. I will keep you posted as development on "Operation: Fools Be Gone!" continues.