"Is this really happening?"

That's what I thought to myself yesterday, when I sat in my car at a stoplight and the creep two cars up got out of his car - again - to stand in the street and yell at me.

Let me back up.

I moved to New Hampshire a few months ago, and met with a realtor who is sending me listings. I don't think I'm ready to buy anything just yet, but seeing what is available helps me get to know the various areas, so that when I am ready, I'll feel more confident in what, and where, I decide to buy.

She sent me one listing for a condo in a part of Manchester with which I am not familiar, but that is far enough from the depressed and creepy central part of town that I thought it was worth driving by to check out the area.

After work, I headed that way. Some overly tattooed creep in a beat up white car cut me off as I tried to make a left turn at a light, forcing me to follow him much too closely to also make it through the light or risk getting hit by traffic. Then his line of traffic stopped, and I was stuck - it's hard to explain, but I found myself right next to him, kind of crowding him, facing the oncoming lane (that, thankfully, didn't have any cars coming), waiting for the cars in his lane to pull forward so I could get in the lane properly.

In short, his jerk move caused me to be in a dangerous situation twice within the span of about thirty seconds.

But, whatever, no one got hurt, let's all move on, right?

Not for this guy. He was gesturing and giving me the finger for a solid mile as we headed up the road. Then, at a stop light, he got out of the car and stood there in the middle of the street, gesturing, giving me the finger, and yelling and pointing at me. The light changed, so he got back in and kept driving.

A woman in an SUV pulled in front of me out of a gas station and I thought that perhaps that would cut off his line of sight from me and he might calm down.

Nope. At the next light, the jerk got out of his car *again* and this time charged right for me. He was not going to stop. I sat there thinking, "Is this really happening?" And, wondering at what point I had to accept that he really was coming to the car, because if I waited a second too long, he would be between me and escape (because to pull to the right meant going into a parking lot where I would be a sitting duck. My only way out was to pull left, towards him, before he got too close).

Thankfully, the light turned again, and my guardian angel in the SUV said something to him that got his attention so he noticed the light had changed and jumped back in his car. I pulled an illegal U-turn and floored it out of there.

I got back to my affluent bedroom community quickly, still shaking. I had planned to go grocery shopping, but I really needed to just go home and lock the door.

I emailed my realtor and told her that between that and the way I had been harassed most days walking through downtown to and from my old parking space, I had had enough with downtown Manchester and to please not send me any more listings for that area.

I include this in my travel blog because this experience again drives him the importance of place. One thing I have learned as an adult is that cheaper is not always better, especially where real estate is concerned. It is far better to have a neighborhood, community, or environment in which you feel safe than it is to have an affordable condo with an updated kitchen and hardwood floors. There is no way I could drive that route home as my daily commute, dealing with guys like that creep, driving by all of the rundown Victorian mansions that used to be beautiful (I would assume) but now are overcrowded tenement apartments.

A sense of place is crucial for comfort and peace of mind. I am thankful that I was not hurt yesterday, and that I made it home safely, thankful also for the good friend who comforted me via text message once I was home. I sit now and type this on my balcony that overlooks a small parking lot in my apartment complex, but it also overlooks a tree, and some nice landscaping. I met one of my neighbors today, not well enough to properly introduce ourselves, but well enough to chat about the weather and for us to each see that the other was a pleasant person.

I inhale the fresh air, and know that home must always be where I feel the most safe.