I was on the train, sitting quietly, when a man sat directly across from me. He stared—unblinking, intense. It wasn’t a casual glance or even curiosity. It felt… invasive. Unnerving. I tried to ignore it, but the discomfort grew until I couldn’t take it anymore. I got off the train early, hoping to lose him and shake off the strange energy.
Just five minutes later, my phone rang. It was my husband, his voice tense with panic: “Were you just on the train?” “Yes…” I replied, confused. “You need to go back. Right now. That man you saw—that was my boss. He just called me, furious, saying you looked straight at him and didn’t even say hello!”
I froze. What? My heart dropped. Then came the photo. My husband sent me a picture of his boss… and my stomach turned. It was him. The same man who had made my skin crawl with that intense stare. The same one I tried to escape. I told my husband his boss was creepy, that he made me feel extremely uncomfortable. But instead of hearing me out, he brushed it off.
“He’s just… weird around people,” he said. “He means no harm. And please, I’ve been working toward a promotion for months. This is really bad timing.”
Then came the part that really got to me: “Just go back and say hi. He’s probably still at the station. Be polite. Please.” I was stunned. I told him I’m not in the business of flattering men who make me feel unsafe—boss or not. I won’t play nice just because someone holds power over him.
I hung up the phone. And I didn’t look back.