This must be short because I'm budgeting my time to the hour this week- sorry to people who helped me overcome the crazy scheduling last time, but I need to do it again! Anyway, yesterday I was sitting on the bus and a man came and sat right next to me (which is like those obnoxious things to do on a bus lists, because there were only two other people on the bus). He kept asking me questions and touching my arm and even when I gave all the cues that I didn't want to talk (like looking out the window with determination, putting my headphones on, and reading a book) he kept asking me personal questions. So I started lying and hoping he would leave soon...I told him my name was Nicole Brown and I live in Madison. Afterwards, I felt bad because people used to just be able to talk to strangers without such suspicision, and so later, I asked my dad how people treat him on the bus (although I know he could never be that creepy!) He said that two women ride the bus from the same stops with him everyday and have never even acknowledged him, and said that they probably think he's invisible. Is that how it makes men feel? Because honestly, we (girls) today are bombarded with so many stories about what can happen to you if you don't act defensively all the time, that it makes it almost impossible to trust any strangers. So I explained that to him- do other guys feel that way? On the other hand, people today should understand that you can't sit down right next to someone and ask for their last name anymore because our society just isn't that safe, and if you don't abide by those rules, then you're just kidding yourself and are asking to be labled "creepy guy who rides my bus on mondays." I'm still sad that I can't talk to strangers anymore, but I would definitely say "hi" to someone on the bus whom I had met somewhere else or through a friend! Is being over-cautious making us a society of strangers?