Rhonda Bracey: At Random

Copy of one of my Facebook posts from Portland, when I was there for a conference in March/April 2016:

So, I walk back into the hotel after the conference sessions and stand by the elevators. One elevator is closing, but there’s a guy standing waiting for the next elevator — he was there before me so he could have taken the other elevator, assuming it wasn’t full. I think that’s a bit odd. He gets into the same elevator as me, but I don’t see him press a button for a floor. He may have done, but I didn’t see him do it. Two other people get in the elevator and press buttons for their floors.

At my floor, I get out, as does this guy (who only has a backpack and no conference badge around his neck). I don’t see his room key card. He doesn’t know to step forward a few more feet before turning into the corridor, as would anyone who had got off on this floor before, so he hesitates a bit. I start walking in my direction and he starts walking a tad behind me in the same direction. I remember that there’s an ice machine alcove between me and my door, so I slip in there ostensibly to get ice (yeah, no bucket!) and hope this guy keeps walking. He does. I wait a few seconds then come out into the corridor and keep walking to my door. He’s about 2 doors in front of me. I get into my room, shut the door quickly, and put the extra security locks on. Had there been a knock on the door I would have called hotel security.

I felt threatened — but not in any obvious or overt way. Just a gut feeling that something wasn’t right. Nothing more happened. I hope that was all it was — just a gut feeling. But it emphasises the fact that EVERY woman has to be alert and vigilant EVERY damned moment, no matter what their age. I doubt that many men ever have to think like this – every moment of every day they are in public.