The walking home debate

Because I live in America's walking city -- apparently, not-so-named during the winter -- I like to walk home.  From everywhere.  Especially when it's nice out and the train has stopped running and I may or may not have been out having some grape juice with friends all night.

Which makes me a Lifetime movie in the making.

Other than take this girl's advice, my main dilemma is avoiding talking to people.  Because late at night people like to yell weird things at you and engage you in a conversation that you don't want to have.   So to avoid this ugly scenario, I wear my headphones, but with the music super low or off just so that I can ignore the dude hollering at me, without appearing rude or escalating the situation by being that girl that ignores him/them/it.

I walk by a lot of homeless people between work and school if you can't tell.

So, naturally, Friday night when I was walking home through a super collegiate section of town, I had my headphones in.  The area was well lit, lots of people out and about, so it was safe for me to utilize the ignore button of real life by pretending I can't hear you over my whisper soft music.

And then a group of college dudes walks by and starts yelling.  And I keep walking.  Then, one turns around, jogs back to me, and taps me on the shoulder.  I wheel around, ready to give him the old Billie Blanks jab to the throat, when, WHAM.  Right in my face... he hands me a flower, smiles, and  jogs back to his friends.

Sometimes, I am way too cynical.