About a week ago, a man approached me in the parking lot at work to give me a compliment. I thanked him and made my way into the building.
Today a man came up to me at the bus stop and greeted me. I knew I’d seen him before but couldn’t remember where.

He said something that clicked. He was the man who’d approached me a week ago. He then proceeds to tell me he’s been following me for days but he’d always lose track of me, until today.

That sounded all my alarms . I tell him that makes me extremely uncomfortable and I’d appreciate it if he’d stop following me.
Everything in me wanted to scream and run off but :

1. I imagined him pulling a weapon on me and nobody doing anything to stop him from hurting me

2. I was waiting for my transport so I had to be at the bus stop or else I’d have possibly been stranded.

So I keep replying to his questions with mostly lies that are close enough to the truth for me to remember them just in case he tests me.

Because we all know even lying about your name could get you killed in SA, as a black woman.
Also, someone I know was attacked this morning ... so I was on edge already.

Anyway, eventually my transport comes and without even glancing at him I quickly got on and left.

The entire trip home I kept thinking about what am I gonna do tomorrow?
Because, yes, I ‘got away’ today but what about every other day after today.

Then I remembered that this really is the reality of being a black, female body moving through this world.

And now one of the drivers on my route just texted me. We exchanged numbers so we could communicate in case of any emergencies (he has everyone’s number on our route).
Now he’s telling me he can’t stop thinking about me. Someone send help! I’m so tired, man. can’t have peace.