A DINOSAUR RANG MY DOORBELL
Beware A Dinosaur in Sheep’s Clothing.
Yesterday was a cold day, a good day to stay home in my pajamas and finish my spring cleaning. I was polishing a silver bracelet, my hands covered in black tarnish I had furiously been trying to rub off the charms. It was my favorite silver bracelet that I paid $10.00 for at the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk 10 years ago. The little beads dangling from the black elastic cord say “BELIEVE”. Something I need to be reminded of daily. I heard a ding from my IPAD signaling my doorbell had been pushed.
My son had recently installed a RING camera for me but the bell cannot be heard from inside the house. That little hitch will be corrected during my son’s next visit. The little ding alerted me of someone at the door. Usually it is my dog barking but she is busy nursing 6 puppies at the breeders.
I didn’t look at the camera online because my hands were black. I looked out the window as I carried my polishing cloth and bracelet with me. I couldn’t see anyone so as I opened the door I fully expected to see a UPS package on my front porch. I placed my foot against the edge of the door so it wouldn’t blow open in the wind.
“Hi. You are Wendy, right? I have been here several times but you haven’t answered your doorbell. I hear your dog parking so I always think you are not home. Do you remember me?”
“Yes, I do. We met once at the neighborhood gazebo while I was walking my dog.”
“I see you are busy. Are you cleaning? What are you cleaning?”
I held up my shiny bracelet and watched as it sparkled in the sunlight, spinning with wind. He reached into my house, grabbed my arm to bring the bracelet closer to him. I pulled my arm back into the house immediately.
“I just wanted to say hi. Will you be here for the holidays?”
“My son is coming from NY for Christmas with the grandchildren.”
“What about New Years?”
“Oh, yes, he’ll be here the whole time. It’s very cold out so I am going to close my door now. Goodbye.”
That is when this very tall dinosaur stepped up and into my house.
“Wait! You can’t come into my house!” I said with both my hands raised in front of my face and his chest.
“Oh? I can’t? Why not?” He said with his arms stretched wide preparing to hug me. “I just wanted to say happy holidays.”
“No, you can’t come into my house!” I repeated as he stepped down. “Happy holidays, then. Goodbye.” He stepped up again with one foot inside my house and tried to hug me again.
“Goodbye”, I replied and closed the door.
Shaking I called my girlfriend describing what had just happened.
“Call the police.” she said, “Now!”
“Really? You think I should?”
“Can you describe him?”
“OMG! He rang the doorbell so I have him on camera!”
I called the non-emergency police number, replayed the situation and an officer soon appeared at my door.
“So, can you describe what happened?” she asked. Thank goodness they sent a female officer.
“So, I met this man on a Saturday afternoon at my 55+ neighborhood park where everyone walks their dog and sit around visiting. He walked up to me putting his hands on my shoulders and rubbing. ‘You are very stressed, your shoulders are tight.’ I quickly stepped away and turned to see his face. ‘Don’t worry I am a physical therapist. I live here with a family as their therapist.’ Then he placed his hands on my breasts, asking ‘ Do you regularly get your mammograms? Not that I want to touch your breasts.’ I said, but you are touching my breasts, as I pushed his hands away. I looked around the park to see the many neighbors, telling myself I was safe. If something was wrong, surely someone would say something. I suffer from PTSD from being assaulted and I just froze! How stupid of me, but I just couldn’t believe it was happening.”
“It’s okay”, the officer said. “It’s a normal reaction. Take your time. Take a deep breath. Don’t blame yourself, it’ll not your fault. Then what happened?”
“ I started chatting away as I do when I get nervous. I asked him where he lived in the neighborhood and he pointed over there. He asked where I lived and I pointed towards the other side of the restaurant. Proudly, stupidly, I announced I have the only yellow door in the entire neighborhood. What an idiot I am!”
“No, it’s understandable. Please don’t blame yourself. You did the right thing by calling us. This is what we are here for. If we find him you can file a protective order against him.”
“ I just don’t want it to happen to anyone else.”
Have you ever seen the show " The Good Doctor"? I only ask because it sounds like something the main character ( a doctor with high functioning autism) would do. A man totally lacking social skills and how to take behavioral hints or normal social behavior. Someone who genuinely means no harm and just doesn't know how to" read the room".
Then again, he may just be a crackpot who thinks it's okay to touch a lady's breast's and try to force his hugs upon neighbors. Hopefully this dinosaur has disappeared for good!
Holy sh$t! I'm sorry this happened. Sometimes, "predators" do this to see how much they can get away with, to see how accommodating you might be. For example, he might rub your shoulders and say, " You are stressed," then ask about your mammograms, and then, the next step, come to your house and try to cross more boundaries. Women are taught to be "nice" and not say anything. I'm glad you are o.k. and called the police. Keep sticking with the boundaries. Folks will get used to it.