Of All Places!

So lately, some shit's been goin' down here on Capitol Hill. A woman was stabbed to death on New Year's, someone was shot in a nightclub, there's been a lot of gay-bashing (where are we, Colorado?). Last week, someone was stabbed in Neighbors. And today I heard a story about an exhibitionist hawking his wares on the CH. So I've been thinking a lot about self-defense classes (as have record numbers of other women since New Year's), and I've been paranoid to walk around after dark, even for just a block.

Well, instead of getting off the bus to go home tonight, I rode it a few blocks further to go to the library (cuz that's how I spend my evenings). I'm a mild paranoiac, so I was paranoid walking to the library (even though it was still slightly light out) and I knew I'd have to be careful walking the five blocks home from the library. But I didn't expect any trouble while actually in the library. I mean, libraries are safe, right? Right? As I was browsing, a man on the upper floor started shouting down to the librarians about some other guy.

"This guy's crazy," he yelled. "He's gettin' physical. He's gettin' aggressive." Then he said something about the guy trying to look at people's "willies." I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was scared that someone was gonna, I don't know, do something. Something that involved a knife or a gun. I have allowed the fear-mongers to get to me, I guess.

But really, the library? Of all places! Can't a girl borrow some knitting books without fearing for her life?

Oh, and then! I was almost all the way home, when I noticed a poufy black cat sitting in one of the neighboring yards. I was a few paces past it when it suddenly got up, trotted to pass next to me, then crossed in front of my path and dashed off. Now, I'm not superstitious, but if I was, I'd be expecting some serious bad luck headed my way. Luckily, though, I'm both a scientist and a Christian, so I suppose I'm doubly protected against that sort of nonsense.