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The Story (it’s long..grab some popcorn)
This weekend provided much needed distance from the situation, and with that distance I feel a lot better about everything. Friday I went to breakfast with a co-worker/friend after work and spilled the beans. As I was telling her my saga, at some points I really just had to laugh about it. In some ways, it’s so damn creepy and so damn dumb on my part that’s it’s borderline funny. Especially since I’m sitting here right now typing this!
So what happened? Let me finally get this over with, and put it into words..this should be fun..
So like I established I answered an ad placed for a secretary for a web design business. I put in a letter of interest and got a call back from a very friendly gentleman who described to me more details of what was needed. He needed someone who was computer literate, who had a clue when it came to things like Paypal, for helping set up new customers over the phone. Someone who could communicate well over the phone, and once I mentioned that I had some working knowledge of HTML and building a website, he said this was a bonus as well, as lately he had been “swamped” and could use a extra hand.
Of course I’m thinking that all this sounded perfect for me, plus the fact his “business” was located in a town right next to mine, about 10 min away.
We communicated via email a few times and then Thursday morning he called me. He asked if I was available to meet for an interview that morning since he had some free time come up that he wasn’t expecting. I said “Sure” no problem, when would you like to meet? He said around 11am was good, so then I asked him for directions..
This is where things got a little weird, and I should have really went with my instinct that something was a little “off”.
In regard to the directions he told me “Oh..just call me when your on your way and I’ll tell you then” - to which I let him know that my cell phone has been having issues and my battery on it was running very low, because I wouldn’t want it cutting us off while I was on the road. He said “Oh don’t worry, I’m sure it will be fine, just give me a call when your on your way…”
I even asked him if he wanted to email me the directions just in case, but he just kind of didn’t hear me. In my head I was thinking it a little weird, but nothing to strange. I tried to call Andrew to tell him that I was going to an interview and if he wanted to catch lunch later that afternoon, but I didn’t get an answer.
I didn’t worry about it too much and showered up and put on a nice outfit to make a good impression.
I called him in my car as I pulled out of my driveway and of course he answers and then tells me a few things that had I known a little sooner might have also caught my guard, but since it was kind of last moment..cause shit, I’m already on my way..I just listened and went with it.
He gives me basic directions to his house and then says:
“Now when you get to my house, just park beside my truck and I hope you don’t mind but it’s a little walk up to my door”
“Oh? I didn’t realize it was in your house”
“Well, yeah I run it out of my office, which is in my house, it’s completely seperate though” “It’s set back a ways from the road because of the snow this year so I hope you don’t mind walking”
He mentioned the walking thing again, and I thought “no biggie” - I didn’t want to seem like I was lazy or to put out by it. So I just said “No problem, I understand”
I got out of my car, and started walking past his truck. The snow was deep so I had to go slow because I had heels on..I trudged forward though, thinking any minute I would see his house. My journey went on, I fell through the snow twice so my feet were freezing….still no house. I thought to myself, “fuck…this place is really off the road”…and kept walking. With my rose colored glasses I thought how pretty it was, there was a river on the left of the path and a small cliff that dropped off to it. Right now there was a lot of snow, but I was thinking that come spring it had to be breathtaking.
Then I came to a curve in my path and was sure his house was just around it…but no. No house, but a big hill going down. At this point I was cussing, and almost wanted to cry (because I’m a big baby) because my feet were cold, plus really starting to wonder how long it was going to take to get to this guys house…not to mention I thought was going to fall down this hill and break something.
I had a mind to just say “fuck it” and turn back, I was peeved that he didn’t mention how far it was off the road, and I was starting to think it all suspicious. But did I turn back? Nope. Too Easy.
So finally I get to the bottom of this hill, thankful to not have fallen on my ass…looking for this dudes house…and think I see it so I keep walking. I’m expecting some really nice place by the way, I’m thinking he must have paid a pretty price to live out there and have such a nice view ya know?
This is where, as I’m telling my co-worker/friend her expression on the matter makes me laugh, she was looking at me like “Are you fucking serious!?!”
It made me laugh, because YES…I should have seen how crazy it was, and I should have turned back….but apparently I have “gullible” tattooed on my forehead and like to ignore all reason.
Anyway, I finally round a corner and see his house. It’s a fucking SHACK. And I don’t say this to be mean about things…if it was just a small house, I’d say it was just a small house…but it was a damn shack…a beat-up one at that! My heart dropped and I truly didn’t know what to think…so I guess I didn’t think at all. Seconds later a man steps out the front door and he looks like this….
And again..I don’t say this to be mean, but this dude looked scary! I think Mr.Burns might actually look a lot better than he did. He had the same kind of haircut except the hair he did have around his head was a lot more than Mr. Burns and kind of Einstein like. He had the same pointy nose and thin face…the same evil like expression.
I about lost it, but tried to maintain some sort of composure. I didn’t want to be rude…but I didn’t feel safe anymore, so I really don’t know why I cared so much about how this man percieved me or if I hurt his feelings.
He walked up to me and we shook hands…my skin crawled. He walked away towards his shack and I followed.
(I know!!)
As I’m about to enter his shack I see dog feces everywhere, and try to avoid stepping in it. Yet another sign to turn the fuck around..
Upon entering I about wretch from the smell of his house…it was awful, from YEARS of not cleaning and having too many pets. There was trash and feces everywhere but he didn’t seem bothered by the mess and continues to walk in. For some fucked up reason I just followed as he motioned for me to come in and for me to sit down on his couch.
Apparently THIS was his office…he had a notebook on a coffee table right across from it…
All I could think at that point was “What can I say that will get me the fuck out of here as fast as possible” because I was scared shit less. I don’t think I have hairs on my back…but if I did…they would have been standing up. I had a horrible feeling. I knew I had been duped…this was no place of business, at least not a reputable one, not too mention the evil looking guy that was behind it all.
He comes and sits down on the couch next to me. Entirely too close. Then makes some weird moan sound right before he tells me how nice I look. He leaned forward towards his notebook and points and tells me it’s one of the “sites” he’s working on. It’s a site built from “site builder” using Tripod….which in case you don’t know is fucking lame and further lets me know this guy is full of shit.
He talks about it for second, never once mentioning why I was actually there. Is was supposed to be an interview right? I couldn’t hear most of what he was saying anyway…I was still freaking out and trying to figure out how in the hell to get out of there.
He scooted closer and did the moaning thing again…his hand brushed my thigh, but he pretended it was an accident. At that point I was really about to lose it but by some act of god, my cell phone vibrated in my purse because the battery was low…..
I acted like it was a text message from someone and sat there with my phone facing away from him pretending to text someone back . While I was doing that I told him I needed to leave and pick up my daughter from school because she wasn’t feeling well. He looked annoyed and asked if I had to do it at that exact moment. I just said…yeah..I’m sorry, but I really do have to go. Almost tripping over myself on the way out.
Everything in me was just praying he was going to let me out of there! I went to open his door and it was locked…I about fainted right there…or pissed my pants…whichever. He unlocked it though, even if he did moan by me when he did it…he unlocked it…
As I walked away I was just hoping he didn’t shoot me in the back or something. I was that scared and horribly mad at myself for even letting myself be in the situation. I think I am a smart person…but that day…I was about the biggest idiot out there.
When I finally got home I had tried and tried to get a hold of Andrew just to tell him but I couldn’t get him to pick up. So I cried, came here and wrote in my blog, and had some wine!
When I told Andrew he told me that I might have been letting my imagination get carried away with me, and maybe this was just some lonely hermit guy who actually does build websites.
All I know is he and his shack and my little trip through the woods really scared me. For all I know, the notion of texting someone might have changed things, since he thought I was communicating with someone? Maybe I was telling them where I was? He didn’t know.
Or maybe he was just a lonely guy…but I don’t care. My instinct said he wasn’t, it’s just unfortunate I didn’t listen to it and avoided the drama all together.
So that’s the deal. Not physically hurt…although a little harassed and definitely mislead. I’m here though, and nothing happened, so for all I know nothing was meant to happen?
After getting this all out to my friend all she said she wanted to do was slap some sense into me….
To which I just said…..
“I know!!” because it’s definitely deserved.
So my elbow/arm still hurts and I never got to ask about my possible depression/bi polar thingy. Going to the doctor makes me nervous though….I’d have no clue of what to say. For now I’ll be soldiering through. It’s worked ok so far.
(oops - TMI - sorry!!!)