~ a think piece on stalking
Photo: Erynne Elkins © 2017
We’ve all done it if we’re being completely honest. Hmm…crickets. Okay, I’ll throw myself under the bus. There was once this beautiful boy named Corry back in the 7th grade in Houston, TX, many 80’s moons ago. I liked me some him. Wrote him poetry, mailed him a card, talked to him whenever I could in math class, made sure my lip gloss was on fleek. You get it. And then one day I got this not so genius idea to go on a bike ride with my cousin and cruise past his house. Alert! Alert! A neighbor’s dog got loose, raced out, and unapologetically bit my ankle as I was peddling away as fast as I could. Lesson learned.
Whether it’s a romantic interest, platonic curiosity, or even a (hopefully) harmless fixation, it’s best to be a good listener. You see, Corry had told me (a few times) that he was flattered. And nothing more. So while it’s understandable to want to interact with others, it’s also healthy to know when to stop and move on. No means ‘No’. Strained politeness means ‘No way’. And ewh means ‘No way, now go away’.
Whether it’s male-female, female-male, male-male, and/or female-female… Hormones, pheromones, the moon, what have you… There are thin lines between coincidence, lurking, and stalking. So at the end of the day please use common sense and don’t be creepy. Just. Don’t. Namaste y’all…