I sincerely believe, based on the last encounter that you described, that armed with his name/photo/description you should now notify the police. His behavior has gone from akward encounters in one store to following to a second location.texasgirl wrote:Thanks everyone for the input I think I have finally decide what to say. When I wrote the original post I had not seen the man in about 3 weeks but what I read in the book The Gift of Fear prompted me to think ahead a bit on how to handle it in the future. The input I got here also helped but I still couldn't figure out how to say it and "Leave me alone" for some reason just didn't feel right to me.
Thursday afternoon I was out running some errands for my mom. As I was walking in to Walmart I saw the man he was also walking in. I just nodded a hello and kept walking. I realize I probably should not have done that but it is a habit and almost an automatic action I will have to break. Anyway I headed to the pharmacy at the far end of the store to pick up a prescription. The line was long so I had to wait a while and then wait after to get instructions from the pharmacist so I was there a while. When done there I had a few other things to pick up, since I knew he was in the store I was on the look out for him. Sure enough as I leave the pharmacy and head toward one of the more main aisles there he is. I see a lady who I know that works there doing inventory on one of the side aisles so I decided to turn in there just to see what he would do. I guess I look like something is on my mind because she asks if everything is okay. I quickly explain and she ask if I feel I'm in danger I tell her no that mainly I wanted to see if he would follow me and was trying to avoid him. She takes a look out the end of the aisle and says yep he is there. A minute later he is at the end of the aisle and sees us talking and turns and walks off. She tell me "Okay that is weird I didn't think he was like that." She actually knew his name so was at least able to get that information. She takes a look to see where he is and I head the other direction to do the rest of my shopping. I don't see him again in the store until I check out he is in another line checking out. I head to my truck and head to do the next thing on my list for my mom a quick stop at the grocery store for two items. I head in grab my two items and get in the the express check out line which like the others is pretty busy. I run in to a friend of a friend and inquire to the health of our mutual friend that I haven't seen in a while. Since she in behind me in line as we are chatting I'm mainly facing back toward the store and I see the man just lingering around at the back of the line nothing in his hand just standing around. I continue with conversation with the awareness that he is also in the store. I when I start the payment process I lose track of him as he is no longer lingering at the end of the line. As I go to leave I'm on the lookout. Our store has two set of doors an outside set that opens to the area with baskets and has a few kids game machines and the motorized carts for people with disabilities then the second set that enters the actual store area. As I leave the store area I see him standing by one of kids games no bag in hand so no purchases made. That changes my mood I'm no long creeped out I am now irritated. I was almost tempted to just yell "Get the #&*@* away from me" but just kept moving and went to my truck I took a long out to the way route to make sure he wasn't following me to my parents home. After venting to my mom and getting some self defense advice from my brother that does martial arts I went home and thought on just what to say. I think I've come up with this "I don't know nor do I care why you find it necessary to follow around me around every time you see me but it stops NOW!"
I also gave my husband a more in depth explanation as to the guys behavior and showed him the photo I managed to get and gave him and my parents the name I now know to be correct. I have not seen him again since the grocery store on Thursday but now that I know what to say I feel better for some reason. I don't know where things will go from there hopefully he will be one to drop it if from that point forward I continue to not engage him.
Also, keep your sense of empowerment; let it fuel your actions as you know 'its not you being rude', rather 'its his actions' that are consistent with a potential targeting cycle.
Praying for you & your family, and a peaceful resolution.