I can NEVER be too careful

86 days until graduation!!!!
198 days until Florida!!!!

Ok...up until I moved to Memphis, i had lived a fairly sheltered life. Went to a private school for junior/senior high that was a few blocks from my home, immediately moved to Arkadelphia to attend Ouachita BAPTIST University, and then moved home with my daddy for graduate school.

I have never met a stranger and will talk to anyone...so needless to say, this evoked some worry in my father before I moved to a strange city that isnt exactly Mayberry....

Before I moved here, my dad wrote an article about my upcoming relocation plans and how he will miss me but he hopes I will keep my head up and stay safe...in response, he received SEVERAL (im downplaying the number) emails from readers who have "watched" me grow up sharing thier own safety tips and horror stories from living in Memphis or having loved one who lived here (and got mugged). My dad forwarded each and every one of them to me.

Now, i live in a bubble....a bubble of FEAR....when I used to go to Target in LR, i would walk out to my car, possibly on my cell phone, digging in my purse looking for my keys...i was the IDEAL target for someone and that NEVER crossed my mind.

Now, when I go to Target in Memphis...i have my keys out and i continuously lock my car to make it beep to draw attention to my car while i constantly scan the parking lot looking for possible rapists....then i check the car parked next to my drivers side to see if there are any possible abductors waiting....then i check the back of my car, my back seat, finally unlock one of my doors, jump in (bags in hand) and then immediately lock my car....This is alot of work, so i have just quit going to Target in Memphis.

Okay...back to the point of my whole post....

In October, an acquaintence of mine was attacked in her own home ( a VERY safe neighborhood) and a few days later she died....this not only devestated me but it rocked my safe world even more. So, now everyone is a suspect, everyone is a bad guy, and EVERYONE is out to get me.

I have gotten in the habit of texting Brad random things that i think are unsafe or a threat, so IF something happens to me, then when the police question the last person i texted, he will be able to give them the information i provided....and THAT is the whole point of my blog....but i have digressed from my original story.

This morning, I was taking Miss Reagan out to potty.

They have recently opened the new club house behind my apartment, which makes me feel safe to some extent because now there are more people coming and going in that area, but it also makes me feel unsafe because ANYONE could be over there and wont be questioned for walking through my breezeway, etc...

Okay, back to Reagan pottying....I was standing there, encouraging her, and this man walked out of the gym in the clubhouse. He walked to his drivers side of his car (BTW...why would you DRIVE to the gym?) and stood there and STARED at Reagan and I. Just STARED...didnt get in his car, didnt do anything but stood there...CREEPY.

I kept glancing up at him but then majority of the time I kept my eyes on Reagan. A few minutes (YES...MINUTES) later he says to me (across the parking lot)...."Is that a Bichon?"

I replied, "No, she is a Maltese" He said "Are you sure?"
(#1 HELL YES IM SURE...DO YOU KNOW WHAT MALTESE LOOK LIKE YOU DUMB A...PLUS, WHY ARE YOU TALKING/ARGUING WITH ME?) I didnt say that, but i wanted to!

I then explained that Bichon and Maltese come from the same family line and they are cousin breeds and tend to favor, but she is for sure a Maltese....then he got in his car and drove away...slowly

I am freaked out....so if ANYTHING happens to me, will the people that read my blog make sure that the police know that between the hours of 5 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on Feb 19th a Chinese (is that the P.C. name these days?) man creeped me out. He is driving a beige/tan car and if you are leaving the club house headed out to Island drive, he lives toward the right (or that is the direction he drove). Have them see if the apartment keeps a log of who enters the building at what time. We have cards we have to scan to unlock the gym door....so hopefully some kind of information is being kept because I have YET to see a camera on the parking lot.

WHEW...now that is off my chest and i can rest easy! I told you...EVERYONE is a suspect.

In other news, i am headed home today to watch Greys with Jessica Arthur tonight and then take Rea to the puppy doctor tomorrow....wish us luck.

I am getting my second V-day gift from Bradley tonight, so i am sure i will have a post about that!!!

Have a wonderful day and weekend!!!

-Whit