Uh… At Least Everyone’s Looking Out?

I am looking for a place to get my bike fixed, so I take the train one stop into the closest town to my suburban college. I get off the train and exit the station, and I begin to receive comments as I walk.

Cop: “You shouldn’t be here; it’s not safe for a girl like you.”

Me: “???”

I keep walking because that just seems patronizing.

Man At The Gas Station: “Hey, little girl, what are you doing here? Go home. It’s not safe.”

Me: “???”

I keep walking because everything looks fine and the white guy is probably just being racist toward the people around here.

Homeless Man: “Hey! Hey, miss, excuse me?”

Me: “Oh, hi. How are you?”

Homeless Man: “Um, good, but what are you doing here? This isn’t a good place for someone like you.”

Me: “Why?”

Homeless Man: “A little white girl like you? Isn’t it obvious?”

This guy is Black, so maybe the concern isn’t just racism.

Me: “It’s not obvious. So far, everyone I’ve met has seemed pretty nice.”

Homeless Man: “There are all sorts of unsavory folks around — drug dealers, gangs, you name it.”

Me: “…What do you think I’m going to be doing to piss off those people? Or do they just go hunting for the stray innocent to sacrifice? Where I come from, if I mind my business and am nice to everyone, I generally don’t have any trouble.”

Homeless Man: “Sure, but this isn’t like the suburbs.”

Me: “I’m from Oakland, California.”

Homeless Man: *Laughs* “Oh! You’ll be fine, then.” *Laughs more*

Me: “Thanks…”

I keep walking. Later, an old lady on a stoop calls out to me.

Old Lady: “Sweetheart! Oh, my goodness, sweetheart, did you get lost?”

Me: “I’m actually just a block from the bike shop where I’m headed.”

Old Lady: “But it’s not safe for a sweet thing like you.”

Me: “You seem fine. A sweet thing like you? Surely, I’m fine.”

Old Lady: *Sighs* “Thanks, sweetie, but I’m not sweet.”

Me: “From where I’m standing, you are. See you later.”

Later, I arrive at the bike shop.

Bike Shop Owner: “How did you get here?”

Me: “I walked.”

Bike Shop Owner: “But it’s not safe out there for a little white girl like you!”

Me: *Pauses* “So, can we fix my bike?”

Other than all the concern, it seemed like a perfectly fine place. It was a weird experience, though.