To the creepy guy who ruined my running route:

Thanks for making me unwilling and unable to go running at dusk alone. There I was, finishing up the last half mile of my run, being extra careful to not get hit by a car since it now gets dark at 5:30. Then you rode by on your bike and I said hi, which I always do to passersby. For some reason, you took that as an invitation to make a loop back around and ride your bike next to me for a minute or so. After telling me I was smart to run on the grass next to the sidewalk (so as to not get hit, and yes, I know that's smart--that's why I was doing it), you said, "I'm not a weirdo or anything..." Hm. What? That immediately raises a red flag for me because that's like those people who say, "Now I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you're a complete idiot." As if disclaiming what you are verbally makes it true. And maybe you're not a weirdo, but a proclamation to that effect is not quite right. Then you asked me if I've been running that route for long. Again, what? I have, but you don't need to know that. So I said, "No, I usually run inside." Lying is ok if I don't know you and you are, in fact, a weirdo. And as if I wasn't creeped out enough already--I mean, I know it was just Halloween, but that's no excuse--you asked me if I lived nearby. I gave a vague yes and asked you the same question, to which (thankfully) you said no, that you lived a mile or so away. Then as you rode off on your bike, you went ahead and said, "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you more often then." As it turns out, being a fake cop has already made me a lot more aware of my surroundings when I run and more skeptical in general of weird people. Well, thanks to your awkward conversation with me tonight, I no longer feel comfortable or safe running on the roads by my house in the near dark. Thanks.

Sincerely, the girl in the green shirt.

Seriously, though, when I told Blair about this fun little incident, he outlawed me from running by myself at night. On the plus side, though, now Blair feels compelled to be my running partner, so that's fun.