It was a mid-afternoon on a beautiful fall and sunny day.
I had just finished class and was walking to the bus stop across from McMaster University. I sat, minding my own business waiting for the bus to arrive, when a middle aged man sat next to me.
If you are a woman reading this, then you might know the uneasy, instinctual gut feeling, of an unknown man sitting in the seat directly next to you, when 4 other seats away from you exist, unoccupied.
I had a bad feeling something would be said but I ignored my thoughts, because not every man that sits close to you is going to say something inappropriate… right ? Unfortunately my instinct was right.
The man asked me if I “wanted an older man” because he could teach me things in the bedroom I could never dream of, then proceeded to list off just the things he wanted to do to me, which are much to explicit for this post.
I was in shock, I had never had someone who would say such disgusting things to me. I stood up and walked a few feet away, praying that the bus would come sooner, and it eventually did.
Unfortunately, the real fear came after I stepped into the bus and realized that he was also getting on, I never wanted to not be a young woman so bad in my life.
After I got off the bus a few stops away from my home, making sure the man was not following me, and clenched my phone wondering how well it would work if I needed to use it in an attempt to defend myself.
My beautiful fall day had turned into something dark and frightening, frustrated trying to understand why I deserve this treatment?
~ Madelaine D
Location:
Hamilton/Ontario/Canada
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