While his grin was locked I turned around and looked at my wristwatch - it was around 5:10pm so I told him the time. Just when I thought my encounter was going to last I turned back around and lo my saviour bus came to a turn into the lane.
Without hesitation I quickly joined the throng of people moving towards the bus and quickly got onto it, found an empty seat by the window and settled myself in. A lady in her late 50s was about to seat herself next to mine when she was rudely pushed aside by the another passenger. When I looked up, gosh, it was the same guy again pushing his way towards me, impervious to the old lady who was already almost out balance, and mumbling some remarks at him. I stared at him in shock at what he just did but he maintained his seat next to mine, grinning with complete satisfaction.
As the bus started to move he smiled and said (in Bahasa Malaysia), "Very nice bedroom set there." That was when I realised my stupidity preceeded me cos when I looked down I was still holding the bedroom set catalogue with the images of the bedroom in full frontal page. Every senses in me told me if I was not careful enough the bedroom would indeed be where I might end up with this guy! I just nodded my head in response. Why the heck did I even paid attention to him, let alone responded? Somehow I guessed the air of uneasiness would linger on during the whole journey.
Good thing Brickfields was just less than 10 minutes bus ride. And thank goodness I was in such a tense state that gave me the opportunity to think a lot during the journey that I alighted the bus one stop away from my actual destination. Once my foot touch the ground I made no hesitation to walk away as quickly as I possibly could without showing it. After a minute or two I was confident that he was still on the bus and was not trailing me. What I did when I got back to my apartment I have no recollection whatsoever, but even if I did maybe it is prudent I do not outline them here for your pleasure..
Without hesitation I quickly joined the throng of people moving towards the bus and quickly got onto it, found an empty seat by the window and settled myself in. A lady in her late 50s was about to seat herself next to mine when she was rudely pushed aside by the another passenger. When I looked up, gosh, it was the same guy again pushing his way towards me, impervious to the old lady who was already almost out balance, and mumbling some remarks at him. I stared at him in shock at what he just did but he maintained his seat next to mine, grinning with complete satisfaction.
As the bus started to move he smiled and said (in Bahasa Malaysia), "Very nice bedroom set there." That was when I realised my stupidity preceeded me cos when I looked down I was still holding the bedroom set catalogue with the images of the bedroom in full frontal page. Every senses in me told me if I was not careful enough the bedroom would indeed be where I might end up with this guy! I just nodded my head in response. Why the heck did I even paid attention to him, let alone responded? Somehow I guessed the air of uneasiness would linger on during the whole journey.
Good thing Brickfields was just less than 10 minutes bus ride. And thank goodness I was in such a tense state that gave me the opportunity to think a lot during the journey that I alighted the bus one stop away from my actual destination. Once my foot touch the ground I made no hesitation to walk away as quickly as I possibly could without showing it. After a minute or two I was confident that he was still on the bus and was not trailing me. What I did when I got back to my apartment I have no recollection whatsoever, but even if I did maybe it is prudent I do not outline them here for your pleasure..
Three months later saw myself roaming in the city heading for Kota Raya, one of my favourite hangouts. The episode mentioned earlier was long forgotten as many episodes tend to occupy you especially when you were a bachelor still enjoying your newfound freedom away from home. Besides Kota Raya my other hangouts were usually Sungei Wang Plaza and Bukit Bintang Plaza. Friends were always amazed (suspiciously) at me roaming around all alone. I spent a lot of time hanging around the railings in the shopping centres just looking at people, window shopping, browsing at bookstores, walking here and stopping there, doing practically nothing useful except killing time that doesn't seem to die.
Anyway, as my bus purged me out onto the steps of Kota Raya I happily made my way up into the shopping centre and started my window shopping. Ground floor had too many shops selling clothes and accessories, boring. Made my way up the escalator to the 1st floor and after looking into some of the shops, decided to just hang out at the railing overlooking the ground floor. Saw some interesting young shoppers groping at some of the clothes being displayed. Saw a Raquel Welch look-a-like, couldn't get my eyes off until the figure went beyond my vision. Next, swinged my vision to a bald-headed guy, what? Oh no, no, no, he was staring up at me, that same guy I encountered 3 months ago! He must have worhipped my image in his mind for the last 3 months and now had his eyes locked with mine, and with a very wide scary grin on his face! Heaven knows where he had appeared from and how my position was triangulated right down to this point in a big city like Kuala Lumpur!
The next thing I know he was already finding his way up the escalator and at that very moment I knew I was the prey..
To be continued..
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