Walking Rhymes With Stalking

(I’m a female exchange student, walking home alone at midnight after a night out at a local lounge with one of my uni’s nerdier societies. Despite the location of the event, I’m completely sober and, as an Aussie in English autumn weather, wearing a few layers. I’m about halfway home when a tall man overtakes me…)

Man: “Are you all right?”

Me: *surprised and already nervous because of the long walk* “I’m fine.”

Man: “Just finished work?”

Me: “I’m just walking home.”

Man: *still walking just ahead of me* “No, where were you?”

Me: “Out.”

Man: “Pub or club?”

Me: *seriously nervous and slowing down to let him get ahead* “Lounge.”

Man: “Just trying to have a conversation, b****.” *finally gets too far ahead of me to talk to me and stays there*

(I got home safely, though I kept double checking that I wasn’t followed after he turned down a side road and went out of my sight.)