So yesterday, I was in a really spectacular mood as I was walking home along the bike path from Davis Square. I was looking at my phone as I passed these two young men sitting on the side of the path, and I noticed their conversation stop, followed by a whistle.
I stopped. I turned. They were both looking at me, and when they saw me looking back, their faces shuttered, their posture shifted, tensed. "What?" Said the one kid, "I was just whistling"
"No," said the other guy, shaking his head, "keep walking".
If they'd kept their mouths shut, if they'd looked away, if he'd said anything, ANYTHING else, I might have moved on.
But I was having a great fucking day.
And you, you little piss-ant mother fucker, you don't ever get to fucking tell me to keep fucking walking.
Smiling wide, arms outstretched, I walked right up to them, and replied, "You don't have the right to harass me. You don't have the right to talk to me and expect me to not talk back."
"You don't seem like a happy person", says bad of dicks 1.
"I'm a fantastically happy person. The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day."
"You look like you've never had a problem in your life" says fuckface 2.
"I have tons of problems, I just don't let them weigh me down."
"Yeah? I bet your daddy could bail you out of all your problems" says skuzz guzzler 1.
"HA! I'm broke as shit dude, and my father is dead."
"So what it's a crime to whistle?" continues douchecanoe 1. "I could be gay, what then?"
"Actually, being gay does not absolve you of street harassment"
"You think this is harassment?" retorts misogynist moron 1, implying that 1) this is not harassment 2) that harassment is something much worse, always, and 3) I could show you what "harassment" looks like.
"Why yes, in fact, this is in fact harassment."
"Lady, you need to just keep walking," interjects asshole 2, talking over me, as they have been this entire glorious, terrible time.
"Keep walking? I need to keep walking? MOTHERFUCKER YOU CAN GET YOUR ASS UP AND KEEP FUCKING WALKING. GET UP. GET THE FUCK UP MOTHERFUCKER. YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT? TREAT ME HOWEVER YOU WANT? SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ME AND HAVE ME BE SILENT? FUCK YOU. WALK AWAY. WALK AWAY MOTHERFUCKER. WALK. THE. FUCK. AWAY."
I was in their faces. I didn't back down. I caused a disturbance. I was making a scene at noon in Davis Square and I was so. Happy. They got up. They tried to intimidate me with their size. But I was louder, and happier, and righteous in my fury, and they were angry, and defensive, and uncomfortable in the extreme. They walked away from me, pretending that they were done, confused and unsettled by this girl, this woman, they tried to make an object of their lust, who dared to make herself a participant, an opponent, equal, human.
"You're real fucking brave doing this in Davis" said who the fuck cares "You wouldn't do this in Roxbury." Implying 1) that in Roxbury you could get away with assaulting me in public? 2) that in Roxbury I'd be too afraid to stand up for myself.
Out loud I said "I would do this in Brooklyn. Where I grew up. Until I was 8."
In my head: No. I wouldn't. Because I don't live there. I don't know the area. I don't know the distance to the nearest store, I don't know if I could sprint to a residence or a business with a phone, that would open the door, that would let me hide. I don't know if anyone would stop to help me if things when south. I don't know where all the alleys and dark, hidden places are where two men bigger and stronger than me could catch me, drag me, hurt me, rape me. I don't know if I'd survive. Which is why here, in the sunlight, in my neighborhood, in my home, I'm telling you to go straight to hell, you pig fucker cock monglers.
By this point, they were calling me retarded, walking away, hurling insults, calling me stupid and crazy because I didn't let them treat me like a piece of semi-sentient sexy meat.
So I said "I'm done with you losers. Bye Felicia" and sauntering away, invigorated, resplendent in my fury, with a two finger salute, exclaimed "My god, it is such a BEAUTIFUL DAY."
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