This happened when I was 17 years old…I would go to the gym, three to four times a week and ride the bus home. It was a Sunday – and I had just missed my bus, so I had to wait longer for another one. I would’ve called my parents but they were out for the evening – and taxis charged more… So I decided to sit and wait in the bus shelter. It was a cold night and snow had just started peppering the ground.
My bus was taking longer than usual so I got my phone out and listened to some music. Almost an hour had passed… It was freezing and I hadn’t seen anyone at all… That wasn’t until I noticed something out of the corner of my eye… It was a creepy guy, dressed in thick layers of clothing, walking slowly towards me. I knew staring at him would draw more attention, so I just focused on my phone.
He sat down at the other end of the shelter and just stared at me. There was something off about him… He seemed like he was either drunk or on drugs. He then asked – « When is the bus due? » I took out my earphones and said – « I think it’s delayed because of the snow ». He stared at me for a while then started mumbling to himself. He was really starting to creep me out, so I pretended to be on my phone.
After a couple of minutes, I took another look… He’d moved closer to me… I looked away for a second then heard the sound of him sliding even closer.
I turned to him and said – « You okay there? » He stared at me with glossy eyes, lifted his arm and leaned towards me. Immediately, I grabbed my bag and ran as he fell to the ground. I ran down the road trying my hardest not to look back. I kept going until I got to the next bus stop.
I turned around to check to see if he was there… he was gone, so I went to sit down. Feeling relieved, I rested my head on the back of the glass and waited for the bus. *knock knock knock knock* I jolted, and turned around to see the same guy staring at me through the glass.
« What the hell is wrong with you »?
Then he started walking around the shelter towards me. « I’m warning you! Stay. Back. » I yelled in panic as I was backing up… I wanted to run, but I left my bag in the shelter and couldn’t leave without it. Suddenly, the man leaped at me and I quickly moved out of the away. He fell to the ground face first.
I froze in shock then noticed the blood coming from his face. I tried to get a response out of him but nothing worked. I called the police and paramedics and they arrived shortly after. I told them what had happened, and they told me that the guy was on prescription drugs…
He found a photo in his wallet of him and his son. The boy looked just like me so we assumed that he thought I was him. I later learned that he had lost his son in a custody battle and went off the rails. He was taken away for treatment and that was the last I saw of him.
I got my driver’s licence shortly after and have never, been on a bus since.
