I am lost, please help me. No no not right now and I mean am not lost of directions; am dumbfounded of understanding. I am seated in the balcony as am out on my lunch break but I can’t stop thinking of the cold mean look I received from this lady 15 minutes ago. I just got confused, perplexed and angry. I was simply asking for directions for crying out loud, then that demeaning look.
As I think about it right now, the look becomes as intense and vivid as at that moment. I remember, I had just come out of a short meeting at the office when a friend text me wanting a favour. My friend requested that I should drop him some allergy drug later after work. The drug store he mentioned had moved from the street opposite our shops and had moved downtown to a street I wasn’t too familiar with. I have been in that street some months before but only to maneuver detours and traffic when the main road was under construction. So after the meeting, I thought it was better to rush there lest I delay and start rushing late when the traffic will be busy. I thought because I wasn’t so sure of my directions its better if I walk. After walking for sometimes without getting my way I realize it was better to inquire for directions or lest I wasn’t going find the shop and eventually be late to work.
As a precaution, never ask directions from pedestrians. If you have to ask, ask ‘permanently positioned‘ personnel such as security guards or shop attendants that are positioned in a shop. So I decided to enter a grocery shop and ask the shop owner, unfortunately, the shop was busy with a long queue and I thought I should get out and check with the next shop. While squeezing myself out, I reckoned, why not ask one of the customers in the queue they might be of help. This is when all hell broke loose on me. I should have known better and add to my precautionary list people on a queue, to be precise, any lady on a queue.
I remember I was a gentleman, as I acknowledged her presence softly assuming to be a wise move and that’s when the boring piercing look came. It was so intense and traumatizing. The lady was simply communicating to me: back off you pervert. Simply that am not the victim type, a wrong number, a don’t you dare start with me type.
Since that day I have been pondering this issue asking myself why she gave me that look? In my quest I thought it’s just one of those days where a woman is experiencing a bad moment. Then I tried randomly to inquire of from some other different ladies but just as the horrific look day, I never reached to the point of a conversation, after the greetings, the same boring look was what I got. Now I was sure that these trend was common and I became more curious. I wasn’t sure if it was only in our area or the whole country through. What I discovered was shockingly.
Majority of women have or know a lady who has been sweet-talked by the ‘sorry, I am lost, please help’ guy. Perverts don’t have signage or distinct fragrance to notify. However due to constant exposure and open talk perverts traits can be identified easily. Perverts are psychopaths but appear to be normal until they strike. They pretend to be soft and caring and any tender person in need to help may easily fall out for them. They have close to genuine need that one can easily identify with and pick up lines like ‘am lost please help me with direction’ are some of the many seductive questions they use. Thereafter if one is willing to help their strike by cajoling a conversation or an invite for a meal as they strive to interest the would-be-victim.
One lady that I talked with told me how she escaped from such a dangerous monster like this. While in a convenient store buying her grocer and a guy, who was smartly dress came to her and softly greeted her and intelligently commented on a product she was buying and she kept on a conversation while admiring this ‘gentleman’. He later asked her for help; a direction. Apparently he was new in town and was looking for a prime building that was on sale and he wanted to take pictures. He even said that the sale will be low as it was being auctioned for the fifth time for the bank to recover the money owed by the government. She offered to show the guy directions as she was working towards that area towards the parking area. While there, the guy still charming her asked for her assistance in taking the photos as they moved within the gates. That’s when it struck her that this was a wrong move altogether being there with a stranger. Nothing had happened, but the intentions were so clear, harm was on its way. Miracles do happen; a policeman was walking on the street and intervened asking her if she was OK; responding quickly that she fine while rushing out save her from a pervert’s snare.
Fear, yes, phobia leads to reactionary protective reaction: a rude look and ‘I don’t know’ remark from many women. Nonetheless, it saves the day, as mum was right ‘don’t talk to strangers’ might save the day. I am obliged to take my curious quest further and educate women, this is a mission I am to take on a daily basis: educate and inform!!
“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself” FDR 1st inauguration.
U-waz-Hea 