Have you ever been really paranoid?

[ThePeterNetwork]

You know the kind of feeling I'm talking about. You're walking around outside, minding your own business, when suddenly you get this feeling that someone or something is just waiting to find you and..... get you!

It doesn't matter if it's an aggressive panhandler, an armed attacker, a corrupt cop, anyone. Just the very thought that some very disturbed individual could leap out at any given time and place to get you when you are the most vulnerable can bring shivers down your spine and fear into your heart.

I tell you, if it wasn't for the need of monetary supplements provided by the beneficial loan of continual employment, I would just stay at home where it's nice and safe. Sure, I might get a little stir-crazy after a few weeks, but hey, it's safer than being gotten by a maniac with criminal intent.

[Captain Highwind]

I tell you, if it wasn't for the need of monetary supplements provided by the beneficial loan of continual employment, I would just stay at home where it's nice and safe. Sure, I might get a little stir-crazy after a few weeks, but hey, it's safer than being gotten by a maniac with criminal intent.

And besides, agoraphobia isn't as bad as everyone says it is...right? ;)

[Dark Fact]

I have a little story to share upon this:

Back in 2001, I went into a Levis store in my downtown mall. I was there to look at some of the latest jeans on sale. Anyways, this hippie clerk who works there kept coming up to me and asked me over and over "Can I help you, sir?" I always had to tell him repeatedly that I was fine. Before I left, I stopped to comb my hair at a nearby mirror. Now, behind the mirror were a group of girls who were checking out some jeans on their own. This is important for later. At this point, the hippie clerk comes up to me and asks "Can I help you, sir?" like he suspected something from me. I told him again "No, I'm fine, thank you!" And after that, I left. A week later, I went back into the store to check to see if the jeans were still on sale. They were but as I left the store, that same hippie clerk gave me the evil eye. I had no idea what he was thinking about at that time, nor did I care. I then went to the Zellers nearby to check out the latest games and DVDs. On my way back through the mall and past the Levis store, I noticed that the hippie clerk was talking to three security guards. The clerk spots me and instructs me to come over. Now this is where things get really screwed up. The clerk (who supposedly decided to hide behind the three guards) starts telling me that he noticed that I was looking at the girls when I was in his store a week ago. Apparently, when I was combing my hair and looking in the mirror, the idiot assumed that I was really "pretending" to comb my hair and really just wanted to look at the girls instead. I tried to straighten the whole thing out but instead was told by the guards to be quiet and keep my hands down (since I have a tendency to move my hands when I'm talking). Afterwards, the hippie clerk told me that I was banned from his store and any attempt to enter his store again would be trespassing. One of the guards (who I swear is more of a rookie on his first day!) tells me that I have to leave the mall and not come back for 24 hours. Any attempt to come back in before that would get me detained. So I had no choice but to leave the mall. Apparently, that incident had me so paranoid that I couldn't enter the mall for three whole months! And when I did finally enter the mall after that, every time I passed by the Levis store, I would get very paranoid. I didn't want to risk developing a criminal record. A year later, the Levis store lost its lease and moved to a new area of the mall. And just last month, it finally closed up shop. I say good riddance.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Nice thread, Peter, could've used a poll or two (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=152664)

That's a crazy story, Dark Fact. If I were you, I would've purposely harassed that guy. Even if you were looking at girls in a mirror, honestly, is that SO wrong? It's not like you were staring in the mirror for hours on end, right? I hope that guy got what's coming to him.

[ThePeterNetwork]

Dark Fact, that story made me angry. You should have tried to stand up for yourself and challenge their authority over you. Anyone who tries to exert authority like that should get what for! :mad:

And that, boys and girls, is why I don't go into places where I do not wish to do business with. Come to think of it, I don't care to do much business with most places. Being a consumer sucks. :sad:

[Dark Fact]

That's a crazy story, Dark Fact. If I were you, I would've purposely harassed that guy. Even if you were looking at girls in a mirror, honestly, is that SO wrong? It's not like you were staring in the mirror for hours on end, right? I hope that guy got what's coming to him.
Harassment would've gotten me kicked out of the store and/or detained by security. That guy was even more paranoid than I was after I was banned from his store. As for getting what was coming to him, I'm not too sure but I think he was also the manager of that store who likes to work the register every now and then.

Dark Fact, that story made me angry. You should have tried to stand up for yourself and challenge their authority over you. Anyone who tries to exert authority like that should get what for!
You think that made you angry? Try experiencing the whole thing first hand and then have the memories forever etched in your mind. Just that alone makes me angry every time I think about it. Besides, whether I would've stood up for myself or not wouldn't have changed the outcome. The other employees of the store (who were also female!) sided with the clerk and were his "witnesses". He tells security I was looking at girls, the security guards believe him, he cowers behind the guards while telling me that I was banned from his store, and the guards have me leave the mall.

But it really doesn't matter anymore. The store is gone and that's good enough for me.

[Swordfish_II]

I always feel paranoid.

[Captain Highwind]

Besides, whether I would've stood up for myself or not wouldn't have changed the outcome. The other employees of the store (who were also female!) sided with the clerk and were his "witnesses". He tells security I was looking at girls, the security guards believe him, he cowers behind the guards while telling me that I was banned from his store, and the guards have me leave the mall.

But it really doesn't matter anymore. The store is gone and that's good enough for me.

Yeah, but even if he was the manager, you still could've gotten HIM for harrassment. Did he have verifiable proof that you were ogling girls? What about security footage? I wouldn't go back in his store after something like that, but I sure as hell would have contacted his supervisor/company headquarters and reported what he did to me. I would have had his job. Security guards too.

But since the store's out of business, it looks like your job is done.

[Shawn Hopkins]

I hate to be the one to bring this up, but there's something you should ask yourself if you become paranoid for no reason. Am I smoking too much pot?

[Harvey Two Face]

One night I got up to get a drink and I swear there was this dark figure in the house watching me or following me so I just bolted to my room, shut the door and ducked under the covers.

[Dark Fact]

Yeah, but even if he was the manager, you still could've gotten HIM for harrassment. Did he have verifiable proof that you were ogling girls? What about security footage? I wouldn't go back in his store after something like that, but I sure as hell would have contacted his supervisor/company headquarters and reported what he did to me. I would have had his job. Security guards too.

But since the store's out of business, it looks like your job is done.
He didn't have proof. He just assumed that I was looking at girls and took that as the proof he needed to give me the boot. Remember that in my story I said that I came back a week later after the mirror incident and the damn clerk took that as "the last straw" that I was back to look at girls again. He got his female employees to side with him and the security guards. If I had reported him, he could've used his excuse and the guards and the employees to justify his actions and my intentions. Strength in numbers. I have no witnesses to say otherwise in my defense.

[WolfieKiwi]

Freshman in Highschool on my first day...

Eventually I met the right group of friends, but that was after I suffered one week of torture. But the first day was the absolute worst.

Even though I'm a fairly tall person, there was intimidation all around me. The upperclassman constantly pushing you around to move faster and your trying to balance the two texts, one workbook, five notebooks and that huge binder you need for biology class. It was hell on earth--and when I finally got to class I was five minutes late, and I wouldn't have been if I haven't gone to the wrong room over three times. :ack:

But the absolute worst was due to my own fault. It was at the end of the day when everyone heads towards their busses or their cars to get home as quickly as possible. Since I had enough Freshman torment for one day and did not want to find out what it was like on the bus. (Especially since it was Freshman Friday) --I decided to walk home since I knew where to go and it wasn't that far... Except that I've never done it before.

So I'm walking on the side of the road with cars zooming past me--some of them howling at me which made my skin crawl.

Soon I made it home and felt like going to bed and forgetting the entire day. That's when my old best friend calls me up and tells me his wonderful experiance. That was when I felt like crying my eyes out, because I felt like I was the only one who had a horrible day. So I lied and said I met some great people and crap like that.

The next day however, I met my first two friends who are now my best friends today.

Sorry about the last sentence. I just felt the need to add a happy ending.:sweat:

[DisneyBoy]

There's nothing worse than feeling small in a big world. I think police and security guards do that the best, so your mall story really resonated with me, Dark Fact. And I think you handled it well. But you know what you need to do? Laugh. It is a funny story. And it's funny that these people were so wound up about the nothing that you were doing. It's too bad you didn't rethink your fear when walking past the store in the following years, because what was it about? Feeling powerless and dominated. Don't give your power away. You're a normal person, in a store, someone else misunderstands, and you have nothing to be embarassed or upset about. They were making idiots of themselves, and in the end, they couldn't really give you a criminal record for allegedly staring at some girls. Do you really think the police would arrest you for that?

Nope. I mean, yes, some power-crazy egomaniac cop could try. But I think you're usually safer off treating people like they're normal, even if they're behavior isn't. Once you start to show fear, or contempt or correct them, it's adversarial. Stay on the same level if you can. "Hold your enemies even closer", right?

I would just stay at home where it's nice and safe.

And lonely. And stifling. We all need to leave our comfort zones, everyday. But think about all the decent and good things that happen when you do. We have so many more good moments than bad ones. We just don't pay enough attention to them. For that one guy who tried to make a case out of you combing your hair, there were at least a good hundred other store people who left you alone, or helped you out...right?

"All we have to fear is fear itself."

[DemonRaven]

Im never parinoid.:raven:

[Juu-kuchi]

You kidding? Sometimes I am for the majority part paranoid.

[Kagetsu]

I have a little story to share upon this:

<abbreviated>


Nice thread, Peter, could've used a poll or two (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=152664)

That's a crazy story, Dark Fact. If I were you, I would've purposely harassed that guy. Even if you were looking at girls in a mirror, honestly, is that SO wrong? It's not like you were staring in the mirror for hours on end, right? I hope that guy got what's coming to him. Yea, I'm afraid I'd have done the same, the accusation was not of a crime. I'd have told them to go (colourful). I've considered several times my full intention of striking anyone short of a police officer who touched me. Karate class has given me a bit of a hair trigger.

Stories like:

The Box - Where company policy wa standard to accuse clerks of theft, get a confession for a piece of candy then scare them into paying for hundreds of dollars of missing merchandise.

The vounteer ranger that tried to accuse me of littering, who as he stood in my way I approached with the intention latching on to him and all but drug him to show how he was mistaken.

There have been times when I check if I'm being followed and have occasionally gone passed my turn and made other turns to be sure.

I've also noticed being followed by store security because I cruise the outlets without packages,,, yea the girls who come up from the city are cute. As soon as I noticed him, I steered him from one side of that store to the other picking up stuff and putting it back for near a half hour. :anime:

Of course when I was younger I was chased and constantly been attempted to be cornered and sometimes hurt by a group of older kids in the neighborhood, so I have a right to be observant.

[BonyT]

Why? What do you mean? Just exactly what angle are you trying to play by asking that question? ;)

[Captain Highwind]

Karate class has given me a bit of a hair trigger.


I thought Karate was supposed to focus and calm you down...^^;

[Kagetsu]

I thought Karate was supposed to focus and calm you down...^^;
:anime: I was always a little jumpy anyway. But now when someone startles me from behind, three so far have gotten a reflexive backhand. Once the muscles have the memory from practice, you pop into stances without thinking. It's also made me more comfortable facing other people. It gives me confidence so I'm not dropping into a panic mode when someone postures with threats.

[Ickis]

I had that feeling when I alone watching over my Honda Z600 when it broke down, I felt that it wanted to destroy my sanity as I had hit the steering wheel and mocked in numerous times trying to work the manual transmission. If it does make someone insane, thank God there was an unfortanate soul out there who brought it from us. That was the point of my life where I lost interest in Japanese engineering, my father wants an N600 and whever he mentions that I say "Good luck selling it". To play it safe I'm not going to buy a Yugo either.

[J. B. Warner]

Years of being teased and taunted throughout elementary, middle, and high school have left me a bitter and resentful individual who trusts nobody and smells conspiracy in everything. Examples:

- I draw a lot of cartoons, and whenever I show them to people, I always make absolutely sure that they really do look at them and tell me what they think. I've had too many people just glance at them, say "Yeah, that's nice", and then walk away in order to get away from the crazy cartoonist.
- As it so frequently happens when I'm driving, I often find myself in those situations where I'm at a busy intersection or trying to get out of a parking lot, and absolutely nobody slows down to let me into the flow of traffic. Thus, I've come to suspect that everyone else on the road is an inconsiderate jerk, and I always try to take the roads that are the least busy in order to avoid them.
- If I'm ever by myself in an open area like a restaurant or a park and I hear people talking in hushed tones, I get a nagging feeling that they're talking about me. Even if they don't know me, they could still be talking about my physical appearance.
- When the Burger King that I work at had to reduce labor, I got my hours slashed as a result, and I strongly suspected that it was a plot to get me to quit, concocted by my then-assistant manager, whom I always hated.
- Every time a girl gives me her phone number and shows genuine interest in getting to know me, I'm absolutely sure that she's just jerking me around. The last time it happened, the girl in question terminated our first phone call within fifteen seconds by saying that she was about to go out the door to go to work, then she never replied to the voicemail I left her; the time before that, I couldn't contact the girl for weeks, and when I asked her about it, she said that her phone and Internet services had both been disconnected the day after she gave me her number and e-mail address.
- I'm very, very protective of my belongings (I was robbed by several classmates throughout my school years), so every time I go somewhere, I always lock the doors to my car, even if I'm only going to be somewhere for thirty seconds.
- And an example from right here on ToonZone: I have reason to believe that Jave is stalking me. He replies to a great many threads right after I do, often in response to my post, and generally in a way that humiliates me by making me look dumb or inconsiderate. I have a sneaking suspicion that he wants me banned, but he has no legitimate reason for it so he's just trying to make me feel bad enough to leave. The moderators at the No Homers Club openly despised me for my beliefs about the heritage of Warner Bros. cartoons, so it wouldn't be the first time this has happened.

In a world that demands conformity and punishes individualism, I'm at war with just about everyone on the planet.