The "really really nice great guy"

My sisters took the liberty of informing me that my blog is depreciating. "It's getting boring," they said.

I have to agree that blinds and plastic bags aren't the most fascinating subjects, so I think it might be time to share something scandelous.

When I was riding the highway bus yesterday, I thought back to another time, years ago, when I was on a bus. I had been on the bus for a few hours when we stopped for a break and when I got back on, a very attractive tall black guy was in the seat beside mine.

We talked quite a bit and I told him that I had just quit my job and was on the way home, not knowing what I would do once I got there. He, being remarkably friendly and kind I thought, told me I could rent his basement with bills and everything included for $100 a month.

We had a long bus ride and at one point we were talking about cake. He said, "I like white cake much better than chocolate cake." And I, thinking we were talking about cake, not skin colour, said, "What? That's crazy. Chocolate cake is the best."

Then he reached out and touched my cheek bone.

Before we got off the bus, he made sure to remind me that I was welcome to move in with him.

About a month later I was tempted by his offer because it was so cheap and he seemed so nice. My dad got worried and called the police to see if he could get a record check. (I'll come back to this.)

A friend and I were annoyed with our other friends one night and were bored. We were driving around town and ended up near the highway. We decided to run away, just for a few days, and to have fun on our own.

We didn't know where we would go and on a whim decided to go visit my new "friend." We were both 18 at the time and lived with our parents who would not approve of our running away to visit a strange older guy, so we each called home to tell out parents we were staying with each other that night.

Anyway, we got to his place and my friend was horrified by all the drug stuff he had laying around and I was half creeped out and half flattered when tried hitting on me. My friend and I decided to leave because he was making us uncomfortable.

A while later he called to say he still really wanted me to come and live with him. And he said he thought my friend was pretty and he had told a friend of his about her and his friend wanted her to go live with him. What?

That was when I started to realize something was very very wrong. Another sign was that his house was kind of small and shabby on the outside, but the inside was full of expensive treats, including a wide screen TV that covered one whole wall.

I forgot to mention that his job was working as a "night-club promoter" and that he had promised me a job if I came to live with him. I assumed he meant I would be a bartender or something like that.

Back to when my dad called the police... They told him that it's never a good idea for a girl to move in with a guy she doesn't know and told him to try and persuade me not to go. They also told him they were watching this particular guy because they knew he was part of a prostitution/drug ring and that he was selling girls across the border into the United States.

That was the beginning of my skepticism.