Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Out of no where

I had arranged a tennis game with a friend earlier that day. We usually run after school ,but today was different. He (Robert) decided that we should play tennis instead of running. I agreed, it had been a week or two since our last match. It was 9:45 pm and I was ready to play tennis. I text Robert to check and make sure he is still going to play. He text me back saying that a very interesting movie was on and he would like to finish it. Robert informed me that he would text me when the movie was over. I said sure, no problem. 10:00 rolls around and he text me. I drive to the Junior College to meet him there. I arrive before him. While I was waiting, I observed two other males playing a game between each other. Robert arrives 8 mins later. We spar for a few hours. I hit some of the balls over the fence. Eventually we stopped and I said I would retrieve the balls I hit over the net. Robbert nods and puts his belongings in his car, says goodbye , and pulls away. I walk the outer edge of the courts to locate the balls. I collect the balls as fast as I'm willing to move at the time. I unlock the door to my car, open it, and remembered I needed to turn off the lights to the courts. I leave my door open while I run to hit the switch. Instantly the courts go black. I return to my car and preform my same ritual. I need a soda, but not just any soda. A Barq's Root beer. I drive to the drink machine in front of Hudson's. (because the sodas there are only 40 cents.) I pull up to the machine. The parking lot is completely empty. Leaving my door open, I get out of my car to buy a drink. I've always made it a habit to look around before I leave my car on with my door open. As I get out of my car I look around making sure no one is near. Clear. As I'm buying my soda I hear a man's voice behind me. I'm instantly startled. I replay the sounds of his words in my head to try to compute what I've heard. No luck. I reply,
"Come again?" The man informs me about a trick with the machine. Explaining that if I unplug the machine as it is vending I will receive 2 sodas instead of one. I say, " I guess I'm out of luck. I don't have enough money." I was lieing of course. I always keep change in my car. Hoping that he would take the bait and assume that I had no money. He staggers forward some, as if he was trying to remember my face. I take an awkward step to the side and say goodbye and thanks for the tip. I walk around the back end of my car to avoid his contact. As I'm entering my car, he calls out to me, "I can get'a ride?". I reply, "I'm sorry, My mom will kill me if I'm late home." The look on his face tells me that he has accepted my rejection. He then says, "Margaret wouldn't mind". My heart stops.. How did he know my mom's name? Does he know my name? Does he know where I live? He repeats himself,"I can get a ride?" This time I hear attitude in his voice, or what sounded like assurance. " How about dat ride?" I'm halfway in my car. " I said..No." ''I'm sorry I can't give you a ride." I close and lock my door. He makes his way around the front of my car and stands there. " It's just one ride." he says. Keeping my eyes on the strange man, I put my car in reverse and slowly start to back up. As I'm pulling away he enters the shadows of which he came. I return home and inform my mom of the situation. I give a basic description of the man. She doesn't seem to know him. I sigh and make sure all the doors are locked. I haven't seen him since our last encounter.

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