Paranoid in the City

Some people may think that I am paranoid because of that post I made comparing (or rather, contrasting) Columbus and Montreal.

About six blocks from campus is a National City branch. With the campus Halloween party tonight, at a local night club, I need cash for things like $5 bottles of water so I don't dehydrate and pass out on the dance floor. Thus, a trip to the bank is necessary.

I didn't bother to change clothes. I wore a nice long sleeve shirt, jeans, heeled boots, and a fedora. I walked like my mother taught me. Look straight ahead, with purpose. Do not make eye contact.

In this short twelve block round trip, I had one guy start making comments to me as I walked. When I didn't answer or acknowledge him, he threw a rock at me. It landed and rolled harmlessly at my feet, but it still unnerved me. I walked a little faster.

This trip took less than half an hour. In that time, I had two people honk at me, another guy give me "the look", and one, who had a cane but wasn't really blind, started following me.

People, I am not pretty. I have the nose and eyebrows to prove Itallian decent somewhere back. On a good day, I am average, on a really good day, I MIGHT pass for pretty. Do I just look easy or something? No other girl I know who walks alone in broad daylight has these kinds of problems. Why can't I just go about my business without looking over my shoulder? Why do I have to attract every 40+ black male in Columbus? Why not a nice, 21-23 year old (preferably with a British or Spanish accent) who is not on drugs/mildly psycotic?

Please, leave me alone.