At Starbucks tonight...

I just got home like 10 mins ago from studying at the 24 hour Starbucks on Columbus Circle. I went there directly from my Kaplan course and just hit the books and online quizzes. Studying in itself was pretty boring but I noticed about halfway through my hardcore study session that this guy was totally staring me down. I ignored him after catching him staring twice. He got up and went over to this short little brown girl and started talking to her. They sat down at the table in front of me and I heard them briefly talking about poetry. She left after a good 15 mins or so, so I figured he was just a nice guy who didn't know how to control his staring. Well, he sat there and continued to stare at me until I packed up my stuff and prepared to head out of the store. I raised my head after putting my backpack on my shoulders, and found him standing right in front of me. He began this soliloquy that went something to the effect of:

"I want to give you a poetic compliment. But before I give you that poetic compliment, I want to ask you something. Do you know any girls who have ever told themselves that they will never get married until they meet Mr. Right? Or have you ever said it yourself? Have you ever been in a relationship with a man and thought he was Mr. Right, but he turned out to be Mr. Wrong? Have you ever ended a relationship with someone because he was Mr. Wrong, but later realized he could have been Mr. Right? If you knew me, and were smart, you would have known that I am Mr. Right. Okay, here's the poetic compliment. When I fist laid my beautiful eyes on you, I felt like I had stepped into a world of beauty and loveliness. Are you in a relationship? If you knew me while you knew him, and were smart, you would have dropped him like a hot plate for me, Mr. Right, a Christian man. You look around 20 years old. You may be thinking, "This guy's too old for me." But you would be wrong, because if you knew me, and were smart, you would know that I am a simple Christian man who is Mr. Right. Do you believe in the almighty power of Jesus Christ? Do you know he gave himself up on the cross for you? Are you Christian? Do you know and accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior? Jesus sent himself through me to make sure you do."

Every question of his was simply acknowledged by a smile and nod, but not a reply until he asked me how old I am and what I study, what my religion is, and whether I know that I am going to hell for not believing in Christ. I guess that's why he took 15 minutes with the other girl; he just would not shut up.

He said his name was Carl.

I really wanted to take his picture. He was dressed like a stereotypical creep: black leather jacket, blue jeans, and a navy blue baseball cap with a long enough brim to cast a weird shadow over the entire length of his face. I wonder if all he does all day and night is sit there in that Starbucks staring at cute brown girls and proselytizing. I also really wanted to ask him if his religious Mr. Right shit has actually ever worked for him.

I never had creepier experiences in NYC. I guess when I was younger, I looked, well, younger, and people just didn't think I was worth freaking out. But lately it's like I am a magnet for weirdos. A few weeks back I was on the train at night. I was alone in the car until one man boarded the car. It was fine, but then two other men boarded the car and one of them kept staring me down. During one stop, he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. When the train started moving again, I realized it was a black latex glove, which he was then donning on his right hand. I got the fuck out of the train on the very next stop (2 stops before I was supposed to), and he and the man who boarded the car with him eyeballed me the whole time the train doors were open, and I thought for sure that they were going to come after me. I thanked all that was holy when the train doors closed and I looked behind me to find nobody there.