Let's Not Meet Again

Please Marry Me

All of this happened when I was 13 (I'm 30 now). I lived in an apartment building, and next to it there was a park, where my neighbours used to walk their dogs, jog and I pretty much knew everyone.

One day I was walking my dog, and I see this guy. He's about 40 and he's jogging with one of my neighbors. As soon as he sees me stops in his tracks and stares at me. Not in a creepy way mind you, but it was as if he saw the most beautiful thing on earth (I'm not) and just stood there without saying a word.

Obviously his behavior weirds me out and I just stare back at him looking confused and he just snaps back from his "trance". He walks towards me and says: "Hi, I'm Alberto (I forgot to mention I'm from Latin America) and I really want to know your name".

Since he seemed nice, and I was stupid as hell I gave him my name. He started talking about his job, that he had a great career and that he made a lot of money, and also mentioned that he had a five year old son. So I just politely listen to what he says and then, he starts asking questions about me (my age, where do I go to school, if I lived with my parents) and I just tell him that I don't like to talk about myself very much, but all I could tell him was my age (13)

The next day I walked my dog as usual, but I did it at a different time that I used to because I had a lot of homework and had to finish it before walking my dog. When I get to the park, he's there, sitting on a bench as if he is waiting for someone. As I approach, it becomes clear I'm the one he's been waiting for and strikes up a conversation. This happened every day for about 3 weeks, and he gets more "personal" every time. I decide to stop walking my dog and tell my dad to do it (I didn't tell him why).

My dad found out why I refused to walk my dog: the guy couldn't contain himself when he recognized my dog and asked my dad if I was ok, and why I wasn't walking my dog. Those questions freaked the hell out of my dad and he just told him to mind his own business. According to dad, he just sat in a bench nearby and started weeping uncontrollably. Dad decided to tell my mom, and they both laughed about it (they weren't the brightest) and started teasing me about my much older "boyfriend". (Jerks)

Two months after the crying incident, I have to attend a family party. Mom is all decked out and so is my dad, so they decide that I should walk my dog before going to the party. HUGE MISTAKE. I get to the park, it seems like my dog takes forever to do his thing, when I see Alberto approaching me. He's all smiles and he seems so happy when he sees me. I had my hair done, a little makeup on and a nice dress and he just said, very creepily this time: "You've become a beautiful woman" and all of a sudden he gets on one knee, pulls out an engagement ring and proceeds to ask me if I want to marry him. He also told me that his life was perfect (great job, a beautiful son) and all he needed was a beautiful wife to spend the rest of his life and have beautiful babies with. As everyone expects, I decline, mainly because I'm 13 and he's 45 (That's his actual age) and also told him that I didn't feel the same way about him (For God's sake I'm only 13!)

After that, he stopped "jogging" at the park. I was super relieved to be honest. Then one day, he appears at my apartment. He tells my mom that he wants to talk to her about me and Mom lets him in since my dad and my two brothers were there. He starts telling my mom that I'm the love of his life and that she should give permission for us to marry. My mom starts yelling and freaking out, so naturally my dad and my two brothers scare him away, and mom calls the police right away (Luckily, I wasn't home that day. I was at my aunt's for the weekend)

Nothing came out of it, I guess he had to kidnap me or something for the police to take me seriously. Apparently all of that scared him away, because I stopped seeing him after that, and my neighbors told me that he moved to a different state because he scored "a better job".