Writers Island " Unforgettable"

After much nagging from friends and family Pepper finally got her learners license…Freedom is just around the corner for me, Woo-hoo, I can feel it now! She loves public transit which is her little contribution to keeping the world green. But soon she may get the driving bug!!! It’s about time!!! Good job hun!!!

I have out of Town Company plus my daughters preparing for a very impromptu business trip which seems to always involve me. I played the hurry up and wait game all day long.

Writers Island prompt " Unforgettable"

I had a plan for this prompt, but life got in the way!

Today we went into North Vancouver, a thirty five minute trek from home. Even though I was raised there it’s rare that I make that trip. Pepper and I spent the day tying up loose ends before she leaves. In order to pass some time while she dealt with business I popped into an urban teen store. Looking to find Pepper warm clothes for the below zero weather in the prairies. Out of my peripheral vision I spotted a man my age cranking his head around, to face me. I could feel his pensive stare. Thankfully I was wearing my sunglasses, even though it was a rainy day. (Don’t even ask, they’re my protection from the world.).

My intuition tweaked as my body continued to calculate why a lone male of fifty would be shopping in a teen’s store. Not quite cognitive of what my physical self already knew. ( Check out Gavin De becker's book “ The Gift of Fear”) When the final equation was tallied I realized he was familiar to me. In an instant my brain aligned with my physical being and I knew! He was one of the unforgettable weirdos I happened upon during online dating two years ago. An extremely desperate, needy widower who spoke in freaky staccato notes without taking a breath! He was so demanding and aggressive it frightened me.

Not surprising he would be in the store trying to control what his now sixteen year old daughter wears. After all he wanted me to wear his dead wife’s clothing. During our first ever phone conversation he wanted my full body size so I could fit into his deceased wife’s clothes. Is that a little presumptuous or what? Even though I am a large woman I am pretty particular about what I wear, it’s not likely you’ll find me wearing a fat ladies cat shirt! Did I mention this guy was into Big Beautiful women?

It was more than obvious that he recognized me. Inching himself away from the salesgirl into my direction. I began to panic. He became more blatant in his stares and gestures. He’d never seen me in person before; this was our (almost) first encounter. You know how some days you look better than others. Well today I actually looked not too shabby! I discretely ambled in the opposite direction, making as though I’d not realized him. I pushed my shopping cart nonchalantly towards my escape route, THE DOOR. With relief I bolted pretty fast down the mall towards my daughter, who could see my look of horror as she continued her important phone call. At first she thought I’d had an accident in my pants. As if! Pepper laughed hysterically when I shared my story. Later while waiting on a chair I saw him pass with his daughter in tow, heading towards the same store Maybe we were more alike than I first thought…No no,no,no….shakes head…My body wouldn’t lie!