10 THE CONFRONTATION - SOME DAYS TROUBLE JUST WALK UP TO YOU

Friday I walked 6 blocks to the library to pick up a book THE MAN WITHIN I put on hold for a series I am reading call BREEDS by Lora Leigh. The roads to the library are closed for the next 3 weeks due to streetcar rail replacement construction and the only way to get there is by foot, so off I went. Never the patient type when it comes to books I had already begun the series and skipped over this one Volume 2 as there were no digital copy from the library.

Reading a series out of order is a big no no for my eldest daughter who believes I should read the series in order. I had already read volumes 1, 3, 4, 6, 9 and started 7 & 8. My response to her horrified outrage? Yeah yeah, yadda, yadda, yadda, (rolling the eyes) whatever .

So, I arrived at the library, checked out the book and headed toward home. I stopped and asked the construction man where to pick up the bus going to Spadina Subway in light of all the detour due to the major construction I didn’t want to go wondering around. He said, "oh just up North one block and you can catch the bus." One block turned out to be 4 blocks.

As I finally neared the active stop I noted a Caucasian gentleman mid to late thirties with white earphones in his ear walking South to my North a short distance away. Ever diligent I became more alert as I noticed and shifted more to the right to make room for him to walk along left. However, instead of staying to the left he shifted right directly in my path. I thought, ‘no biggie’. I adjusted and shifted to the left. again he shifted directly in my path, he kept doing so until he was arms length in front of me. I moved to the right. Laughing he blocked my path while trying to look and sound innocent. I was not laughing. I did not know this man from a hole in the wall. I said, "back off!" He says, "what?" Grinning foolishly. I said more firmly, "BACK OFF!" Again he laughs coming closer. I thought, ‘hell no’ I back up a bit as he says again, "what!" pretending not to hear me or understanding what I was saying.

I quickly realized I needed to get serious fast. I took a deep breath and in a more serious tone that carried my intent, I shouted,  "MOVE!" with a roar. He jumped and quickly moved to his my left and walked quickly down the sidewalk without look back.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and laughed to myself as I replayed my response thinking, ‘Lord give me strength.’ I walked the rest of the way to the bus stop, boarded and may my way home.