MONDAY MONDAY...

How was your Monday? Mine was interesting to say the least!

It was another glorious day t.g. As soon as I downed the coffee, it was on with the walking shoes and fast as lightning out the door, before the sun changed its mind. First I dropped the girls off at college and then headed straight for the holy grail, a.k.a. the chip trail. My piece of heaven!

About ten minutes into my walk this 'strange' man came up behind me. I never even heard him approach, so it was a surprise. He began talking to me. 'Hey you sure are a fast walker, I could hardly keep up with you!' he began. Whot? Before I knew it he was walking right beside me. At first I asked myself if I knew him. Clearly I didn't. He continued making small chat, and it was all really 'weird' for want of a better word. Initially, I began walking slower so he could skat, and continue with his own walk. But as I slowed down, he slowed down too. Fortunately, there were people walking behind us, and towards us, so I was not too concerned. And it was broad daylight.

'So your name is Patricia?' he continued, taking me really by surprise now. 'How did you know that?' I asked. 'I heard a lady say hello to you using your name'. Sure enough I had just passed a friend Laura on the trail who said a cheery hello as we passed each other. He must have been listening. 'STALKER STALKER STALKER' Kevin said later when I was telling him about this man walking with me for at least half an hour. 'You should have told him to get lost and that you preferred walking on your own' he said. 'I know, but I didn't like walking too slow either, as it defeated the purpose of my power walk. Besides why should I let this fellow ruin my walk?' That was my feeling this morning.

For the duration of the walk, we just continued with the small talk. He told me his name was Don and asked if I was married. (I wonder if his surname was Juan?) I then asked him 'Are you married yourself?' 'How can you be married to yourself?' he asked with a laugh. Jeez he's not the sharpest tool in the box I was thinking! He then told me he was a ballroom dancer, had won a house in a lottery, and that it took him 7 seconds to retire. 'That's as long as it takes to make a phonecall' he said with a laugh. At the end of our walk he surprised me by asking "Can I have a hug?" Aaagggg!! And before I knew it the hands were around me! Aaaggh again and again and again!!

Right. My question to myself this day, and to you too is...If I had drink in me, and it was the dark of night, could this fellow have been dangerous? It got me thinking again of that poor girl, Jill Meagher in Melbourne. We Irish are friendly by nature, and so if somebody begins chatting to us, it is in our nature to chat back. This is clearly what happened to Jill, and sadly for her she probably had had a little bit too much to drink. Maybe not. But it was late (1.45 am).

Today was the 3rd time I've been chatted up by men on the chip trail. It's either -
a great place to hook up with single men! - a potentially dangerous place (at night certainly), or best of all I'm just irresistable hahaha...!! I did read some time ago about a girl who was handled 'inappropriately' by an old man wearing a turban one day on the trail. I actually knew the fellow in question because I found him a little weird too. After the story appeared on the newspaper, I never saw him again on the trail.

How really does a gal know what's in a person's head? Maybe they are just being friendly? Maybe they're weird? Maybe a bit of both.

The moral of today's story...Never talk to strange men on the chip trail...especially when they ask for a hug afterwards!! Aaaghhhhh!!

Choo Choo and happy travels!

Patricia xxx