The creep who asked me if I had a boyfriend. I didn’t.

This is something I don’t usually do. I am very particular about sharing my life story with anyone, but the experience I had in my early 20s still lingers in my mind to this day. It was the summer before I entered university, and I had just moved back to my hometown to work as a camp counselor. My friends from school were either still in town or had already left for university, so it was just me, my mom, and my younger brother. We lived in a cozy little house about a block away from the beach. I spent most of my free time there, even though the sunburns were brutal.<br><br>I had just turned 19 when this incident occurred. My brother, who was then 14, was always teasing me about being a "bad influence." He would constantly ask me questions about my "love life," but I would always deflect, saying I wasn't interested in dating at that time. It was partly true. I had recently broken up with a guy I had been dating for a few months, and I was just focusing on myself. My brother never really understood that, so I didn't bother trying to explain it to him.<br><br>One sunny day, as I was walking back home from the beach, I noticed a guy about 30 years old, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, staring at me. He was sitting at a small café, nursing a cup of coffee, and smoking a cigarette. I couldn't tell if he was my age or older, but he definitely seemed much more experienced. I immediately felt uneasy, so I picked up my pace and headed to the house. As I approached the entrance, I noticed him watching me, and I could tell he had been looking at me for a while.<br><br>I was about to open the door when he stood up, came towards me, and asked, "Are you married?" I was taken aback. "No," I replied firmly. He then asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?" Again, I said, "No." I was already planning to take the stairs two at a time to get away from him as quickly as possible.<br><br>He took a step closer to me and asked, "Do you live here? You seem a bit...young for a married woman." I replied, "No, I live over there." I nodded towards the beach. He then asked, "Are you from around here?" I said, "Yes," and then he asked, "Do you come here often?" I nodded. Then he asked, "Do you have any family? I know this one guy who lives with his brother, but they aren't very close. He's always off at work or studying." I replied, "Yes, I have a younger brother. But I don't like him very much. He's annoying."<br><br>He then asked, "Do you have a mom? I think I know someone who lives with her mom. She's a really nice lady. Do you know her?" I nodded, thinking to myself, This guy is weird. He kept asking me more questions, and I just replied with short answers. At one point, I even lied about my mom being married, just to get him to stop asking me questions about her. I don't even remember exactly what I said or did, but somehow I managed to keep him from asking any more questions. I didn't want him to get too interested in me.<br><br>The entire encounter was so awkward and strange. It was like he was trying to get close to me by asking me questions, but I was too scared to respond. I kept telling myself, I don't want to talk to him anymore. I don't want to see him again. He was probably a pedophile or something. But at the same time, I felt like I shouldn't be afraid of him. I didn't want to let him intimidate me. So I tried my best to be polite and keep my distance. I didn't want to be rude, but I also didn't want to give him the impression that I was interested in him. <br><br>As I continued walking away from him, he started asking me more questions about my brother, my friends, and even my mom. I replied with short answers, trying not to give him too much information. He kept trying to get closer to me, but I kept telling myself to stay focused and keep my distance. Eventually, I managed to get away from him, but the experience still makes me nervous. I don't want to think about it too much, but I still wonder what could have happened if I had said yes to his questions. Would I have become friends with him? Would I have gotten to know him better? Or would I have become too comfortable with him, and then he would have started making inappropriate requests? I'll never know.<br><br>The incident also made me realize how much I had changed since I was 16. I was no longer the same person I used to be. I had grown up so much, and I was ready for more responsibility in my life. I had just broken up with my boyfriend and was ready to focus on myself. I had just finished my exams and was excited to start university. I had moved back home and was working as a camp counselor. I had a job, a car, and my own apartment. I was living my best life, but I still had to deal with weird guys who wanted to know more about my personal life.<br><br>The experience also made me realize how important it is to be cautious and to not let people get too close to you. I had been living in a small town for most of my life, but the encounter with that guy made me feel like I was living in a big city, where anything could happen at any moment. I didn't want to let my guard down again, but I also didn't want to become too paranoid and start seeing creepy guys everywhere. I just wanted to be able to enjoy my life without worrying about who was watching me or what they might be thinking.<br><br>Looking back, I still wonder what could have happened if I had said yes to that guy's questions. Would I have become friends with him? Would I have gotten to know him better? Or would I have become too comfortable with him, and then he would have started making inappropriate requests? I'll never know.