june/july/august in a very small nutshell

A few things that have happened lately.

I discovered $2 conveyor belt sushi. My life will never again be the same. Now I just have to convince my cousin Sierra to come back to LA and go take plate after plate with me again.

Wisconsin I went home for two glorious weeks in early August and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. I even got to "ush" in my high school best friend Amanda's wedding...and hang out with that guy on the left. I'm going back next month for my mama's wedding...good thing I signed up for a Delta Rewards Card!

Strawberry Stand 

the creepiest thing that's ever happened to me.

I strive to be a friendly person on a daily basis. I'll make small-talk with people in the check-out line, I look forward to learning about my airplane seat partners, and I've been known to compliment strangers on a particularly nice pair of shoes. It personalizes the daily routine and allows me to interact with humans instead of just my cat and NPR (I work from home).

I also get really excited when I see or meet people from Wisconsin. I just can't help feeling the sense of solidarity—when I encounter a former Badger, my thought process goes something like this: Wisconsin?! YOU MUST UNDERSTAND ME ON SOME DEEPER LEVEL. 

These two fun facts combined to really backfire on me a few months ago.

Running around doing errands in Santa Monica for my internship, the only thing on my mind was getting back and buying myself a coffee. Sitting at a stop (as we are wont to do in LA) I noticed a car ahead of me with a Wisconsin decal on the back window.

I'd seen Wisconsin cars in California before, and always tried to get a glimpse of the person inside. This time, I caught up to the Wisconsin car...and made what turned out to be my biggest mistake: I WAVED. The man inside looked surprised, but waved back. I smiled with the satisfaction that he would see my matching Badger decal as I drove past and we would share memories of cheese curds and New Glarus on an otherwise average day. I was wrong.

As I continued on my way, I noticed a car following my path. It couldn't be... I thought. But I kept my eyes on the rearview mirror. Two blocks later, I was certain: THE WISCONSIN MAN WAS FOLLOWING ME.

Sure enough, the car followed me all the way to my empty basement parking lot, and circled around while I lingered in my car to assess the danger of the situation. Being bold stupid, I decided to get out and make for the elevator. Wisconsin man walked up to me, intercepting my path, business card in hand. He's at least 40 years old. He tells me I'm "the prettiest Badger fan [he'd] ever seen," and he'd love to take me out for a drink sometime. I sort of laugh nervously, make a bit of small talk, and book it into the elevator as he drives off.

Hold up. WHO DOES THAT? Who in their right mind? At the very least, I would never get a drink with someone with such terrible judgment. He's lucky I didn't mace him in the face.

Pondering the situation later, I should have parked and waited somewhere on the street, tried to evade him somehow, or just stayed in my car and called security—but I froze. Funny thing is, this guy probably had no idea how terrifying his actions were. In his mind he was making some grand romantic gesture...a great story to tell the grandkids someday or something.

I know that by waving at a stranger, I wasn't asking him to follow me to my destination. I wasn't asking for anything more than a simple smile. But Wisconsin man ruined something for me that day -- he ruined my tentative sense of safety among strangers. Though I don't expect most people would follow his example, I won't be waving at strangers again. Even if they're from Wisconsin.