Why Now? (April 24, 2019)

Last night

First time

In several years

I felt scare.

To be out

And about

In my neighbourhood.

A drunk larger man

Challenged my right

To be myself

In a very public place.

For a full minute

After I passed him

On the sidewalk

Rude and obscene comments

Followed me.

Walking towards

A local supermarket

For a quick trip.

I kept quiet

Not wanting

To further escalate

Into physical violence.

Pace of my stride

Never changing

A single step.

As his hand flexed

Around the beer can

He held.

Graphically symbolizing

His physical intention

Should his hands

Get around my neck.

Just writing this

Can feel my anxiety levels

Start to skyrocket

Into full panic mode.

Darm him!

I won’t allow

This knuckledragger

To control my clothes

Or how I present myself.

I have worked too hard

For some drunken ignoramus

To chase me

Into the closet

Again.

So

I sit here

Writing about this.

Knowing

I can’t surrender

To his implied violence

Or my past memories

Of similar situations.

Even if

I’m wiping away tears

That flow

From my eyes.

I am

A survivor.

Therisa © 2019

Author’s note: I didn’t see this person, again, on my return trip home. Still, I was shaken by this experience. Am writing this, as part of my Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), in lessen the impact that this person has over me. I did nothing wrong, beyond having bad luck of meeting this jerk.