Suspicious Behavior

For the past few years I have been running for exercise on the road near my home. I try not to venture too far because my parents worry about my safety. They don’t like that I run by myself along a busy highway. Since I always carry pepper spray and my cell phone, I have never felt like I was in danger. However, one day I was about a half mile from my house, heading north, when I truly learned why my parents worry. An old minivan passed by me heading south. The driver was going unusually slow when I saw him whip his head around to look at me. I felt un-nerved and felt fear like I never have before. I then looked down to make sure I had my pepper spray, but for the first time ever I had forgotten it at home. I started to panic, but I tried to keep an outward appearance of calmness. If he turned around then I knew I was in trouble. I kept watching as he drove around a slight curve in the road about a quarter of a mile ahead. I thought I was in the clear.

Then, he pulled into a driveway and stopped. I saw his reverse lights come on, and I really started to worry. I hurriedly pulled out my headphones, while at the same time taking my phone off my arm. I took it out of my running armband and started to dial my home number. I didn’t hit the call button because part of my brain thought I was over-reacting. I didn’t want to frighten my parents if it was really nothing.

The man then headed north, but quickly turned into another driveway just up ahead of me. His behavior was very suspicious, but I still wondered if he was just lost. When I approached the driveway, he was parked and outside of his vehicle. Then I saw that there was an older lady dressed in exercise clothes outside with him. They both stared at me as I glared right back at them. I was expecting at any moment they were going to try and kidnap me. The lady started walking behind me while I kept running. The man pulled out of the driveway and headed north again. By the time I reached my driveway the woman was about a few hundred yards behind me. I started to go up my long driveway, but turned to see if she was still going south. Sure enough she was, but the man in the minivan was also going south now.

Though I was probably never in any real danger and did not get kidnapped, I still learned two valuable lessons that would change my running habits. First, never go for a run without pepper spray. Secondly, even if I wasn’t in danger, I still should have called my parents. If the man actually intended to get near me, I likely would not have had time to react and complete the call. Next time, I will be prepared with my pepper spray and will not delay calling my parents.