One late afternoon, I was working on an assignment due the next day. It was becoming increasingly late as I realized that my attempt to write a brilliant essay that did not have “done just a few hours ago” all over it was slowly becoming futile. I needed to get home before it got too dark, and with the recent time change, this happened too early.

Paranoia started to kick in, (I declared that I’d rather be alive to receive my C+ than receive it posthumously), and I quickly ran to catch the train at Columbus Circle.

Usually, I take the D train at Columbus Circle, and then transfer over to the F train. On that day, however, the D was taking its leisure time. With my paranoia in full mode, I decided to take the B train instead.

I quickly realized that this was a grave mistake.

Once seated, I noticed a young kid staring at me, following my every move. It didn’t bother me at first; I mean everyone is always giving you some type of look on the train, ranging from awe to disgust.  No big deal right?

But when I stood to get off the next stop, I realized the kid stood up too. I prayed that this was a mere coincidence, but just in case braced myself to make a run for it. The moment the train came to a full stop, I jetted.

To my dismay, I heard a shout.

“Hey wait, you wait!”

“Oh Geeze!” I muttered under my breath as I quickened my stride, dodging as many people as I can.

“Please baby, wait!”

“What?!” I shouted, not daring to stop.

Head bent low, I quickened my steps, hoping to find the F train on the other side.

Of course, it wasn’t.

My confused lover was now jogging, “Honey please, let’s just talk, okay sugar?”

Now to any noisy bystander, this scene would have resembled an episode from some soap opera: “Girl refuses to stop for her lover, who relentlessly chases her down to the platform to declare his undying love?”

This wild thought was confirmed for me, when a lady suddenly shouted, “c’mon, he loves you, can’t you see?!”

“Mind your own business, lady!” I barked as I neared the stairs.

Finally reaching the platform, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when the F train pulled in.

My creepy lover was just coming down the stairs when the doors closed, with me safely behind them. I did a quick victory jig and turned to take a good look at him. Defeated, he sat down on the ground, head in hands. I almost felt sorry for him.

That all quickly dissipated when the train started to move. Suddenly, my strange stalker got up and ran to the door where I stood, shaking.

He blew a kiss and mouthed, “I love you!!”

In a knee-jerk reaction, I shouted, “What the fuck?!” loud enough for everyone to hear. I stood there dumbfounded, until the train was well into the tunnel.

Shaking, I turned around. An old woman then walked toward me and whispered: “That boy seems so sweet. That’s your boyfriend right?”

As mortifying as this event seemed, I often find myself laughing when I think about it. One thing that I learned from this experience: never procrastinate.