I went to the gas station yesterday to purchase last minute items.
I went to the ATM.
I went into the condiment isle. While I was searching, I noticed a man on the opposite side staring at me. It was'nt a flirting stare, it was a dangerous stare. So I stared at him back as if saying "Can I help you? Is there a problem? " Anyway, we had a staredown for a few seconds and he left. It was a wierd experience.
I don't know what to make of it, because I have done nothing to the man. It was very creepy but it made me angry. I was dressed neatly in work attire, from head to toe, so it could'nt be anything out of order on my part.
He was a complete stranger.
I don't want to be quick to call it racism, because the nieghborhood was mixed. What do you make of it?
2006-09-05 08:45:15 · 12 answers · asked by Mary C 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I don't mean for it to sound cocky or race related, but remember, I am a black woman from Memphis, TN and I had my share of racism.
2006-09-05 08:56:17 · update #1
Racism or not....There's a lot of weirdos out there in every city...You can provoke a stranger with out doing anything let alone a stair! If I were you, I would have just ignored it and walk away....Why take a chance of provoking a potential mass murderer with a stair and an "Can I help you?" kinda attitude! Just my opinion, but you really could have made the situation worse with your comment.....Walk away next time .......You'll be safer and less worry some.
2006-09-05 09:20:41 · answer #1 · answered by jayster32 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you haven't realized by now, it's a big scary world out there, and there are some real demented psychos in it. You hope fate doesnt deal you a bad hand and you cross paths with one of these undiscovered or rereleased loons, but it looks like you were lucky to only get a stare. Not to just be scary, but seriously, challenged a psycho is dangerous, even if it's to stare back. That raised the confrontation level. If he had reached in his pocket and pulled out the gun he might have been about to rob the place with until you came in and interrupted, and instead points it at you, the participating in a staredown will not have seemed worth it.
It's so crazy, we even have to be on guard with the folks we think we know! I am a big guy, and fairly confident that hand to hand, I can stand up against any one person that physically threatens me. But I am not armed, so if they are, I have no advantage. And the bad thing is, I don't know on any given occasion when an encounter has the potential to escalate into a fight, who is or isn't armed. It is to my advantage then, to not press forward on something so subtle as a stare. The stare may not have lasted that log if you didn't take it up. If he had barked "what the F you loking at?" what would you have done? I hope to God you wouldn't have tried to snap back. Our pride and our egos make us impulsive, but think of how many people are senselessly snatched away from their kids and families in an instant over something so avoidable. It's easy for onlookers to call you a punk, but avoidance is an option. Any of us, especially those raised in large urban centers have stories of friends lost tragically - believe me, many of them start just like that.
I hope next time you keep an eye out for whether he approaches as you get the heck out of there ASAP. Peace.
2006-09-05 16:07:55 · answer #2 · answered by Andre1998 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would just say he was a weird person. I am a White man and I was living in Korea at one time. I was on the train and there was a Korean guy just staring at me in the same way you described, a dangerous stare. I told him, what the hell you looking at!? He didn't respond or even blink an eye; just kept staring with a devilish look. I just walked away to the next booth and thought how strange and demented he was. So, basically there are weird people in the world who can't be figured out.
2006-09-05 15:54:10 · answer #3 · answered by JistheRealDeal 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It could be oh so many things. I won't bother listing them, because I'm sure your imagination can do as good a job.
Just remember that sometimes people's faces don't reflect what they're thinking. I think it was Ringo Starr who once said "It's just me face" when asked why he always looked sad or something.
At the same time, keep an eye out, because you just never know!
2006-09-05 15:50:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That would of scared me. Normally when someone stares at you we perceive it as threatening, it sounds like he was trying to see how strong a person you were, maybe he was going to either pick you up or even steal from you.
2006-09-05 15:51:54 · answer #5 · answered by sweet smile 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He may have been angry at someone else and you caught him on a bad day. When I get really honked off ,I've been told I get a truly murderous look on my face.
2006-09-05 15:55:11 · answer #6 · answered by S.A.M. Gunner 7212 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i really dont no i was there but that's how guys in the hood get into it with each other! that's all it takes is the wrong look !
2006-09-05 15:53:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just a chance thing.
2006-09-05 15:50:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think maybe he was having a blank brain moment...
2006-09-05 15:51:07 · answer #9 · answered by murph_ltt 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
oh yessa massa, the big black slave is wanting him some whites womens.
You wouldn't have mentioned the race thing if it wasn't on your mind!
2006-09-05 15:50:35 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋