Shane said:
Could it be dangerous to be extra friendly with these people?
My better judgement says, Yes. That would be unwise. I am normally a very friendly, outgoing person. I have no trouble talking to people. I do, however, have filters and my life-long joust with people who I consider to be nothing less than trespassers into my personal space has turned into a war to defend - literally - my personal space.
I might not be in this position if I had been more accomodating to the selfish, egotistical, arrogant tyrants I've stood up to throughout the years, but alas I am who I am. I just don't have it in me to play the game where I always get to lose and they always get to win.
side note: I went through a sort of transformation about 4 years ago when I started to connect with people on a much deeper level. I don't really understand how this came about, but I started to see beyond the stereotypes of age, race, and social status and I began to care more about people than I ever had before. I also became more acutely aware of those who did not inspire me to look any deeper into them than what I saw. These were the predators, although I would not have put it quite like that a month ago before I understood the genetic differences in people. (ok. I don't totally understand it, but these differences do ring true to me)
These people are predators of whole different magnitude. They've taken off the gloves. They've taken off the masks. They will intrude into my life whether I like it or not.
What you are suggesting might have worked a few months or years ago, when they knew I didn't know what was happening, but I have made it clear to them that I know what's going on. It's too late in the game to play dumb. Thank you for your input.
j0da said:
There was always some guy at the other side of a street, a few guys in a parked car - just sitting there and WATCHING.
That's exactly right. And they always have a phone to their ear. Always. I think they must be on their own channel.
They sit in cars outside my window. They escort me to work. They escort me home. One day last week I pulled into the parking lot at work and sat in my car for a few moments. Sure enough I see a white pick-up truck pull into the lot - does not park - drives around. My car is between two large SUV's so he can't see me right away. Eventually he sees my car, but he doesn't realize I'm still in it. He pulls right in front of me, stops the truck, (phone to his ear) looks at me and dashes right back out onto the street. His only purpose for being in that parking lot was to verify that I was there and communicate that to whoever wanted that information.
That same day, I leave work at about 8:00pm. As soon as I get into my car, a (different) truck pulls into a space just ahead of me and off to the left. I sit there and wait. Nobody gets out. I wait some more. Nobody gets out. 5 minutes go by and nobody gets out of this truck. I throw my car into gear and pull-up directly next to the passenger side of the truck and there I see the man standing between the open driver-side door and the inside of the truck. Phone to ear. I look directly at him. His only purpose is to confirm that I am leaving work. Somebody else will join me on my drive home - in front and behind - phones to ear - and they will escort me home.
j0da said:
Yes. A very different kind of life. Thank you for the parallels. This IS the Nazis all over again.
I should also point out that this is not just a bunch of guys in pick-up trucks. It's suburban moms in mini-vans.Young people, old people, all different races. Some look like CIA. Some look like PTA.
Blows my mind.