A woman has thanked the wise strangers who saved her from a "creepy stalker" with their short and simple advice. She explained how she nipped into a shopping centre to use their bathroom during a road trip - but sensed she was being followed by an unknown man.
While navigating her way through the mall, she noticed him taking the exact same turns as her, slowly increasing his pace with every step. To check whether he was stalking her, she turned into a shop she thought he wouldn't naturally go in.
Taking to Reddit, the woman said: "I knew the bathroom was right in the entrance, down a hallway to the other side of the mall, but still visible from the front doors. Quick and easy.
"As I walked in, I passed a man in a yellow mask, leaning on the opposite side of a pillar in front of the entrance. I felt him turn towards me as I passed, but I carried on my way.
"I can’t explain why, but a post I had read on here [Reddit] suddenly popped into my head, about a woman who had avoided a man following her.
"The top comment I had read at the time said to never go into a public bathroom if followed.
"I passed the hallway into the main shopping centre, and saw a dollhouse store to my left.
"I remembered another comment saying that if you aren’t sure whether or not you are being followed, to go into a store that the suspected person would not typically have interest in. Instinct took over, and I turned toward it."
She realised nobody was on the counter and the mall was practically empty - making her feel even more vulnerable.
"I chose a section of miniatures to admire, all the while eyeing the man in the yellow mask," she added.
"He casually made his way into the store, and came to a stop at the same section, a few feet from me, but looking in my direction."
Fighting back "paralyzing fear", the woman reached for her phone and quickly called her husband who was waiting outside in the car.
She said: "I turned abruptly, and quickly walked back toward the exit as the phone rang for my husband, who was waiting out in the car for me.
"The man in the yellow mask turned and matched my pace toward the exit.
"I can’t explain the mixed feeling of fear, knowing the man was almost grabbing distance behind me now, and relief, when the call connected, and I heard my safe person on the other end of the line.
"With the phone on speaker, I loudly said, 'I am being followed by the man behind me,' and without missing a beat, my husband was out of the car and assured me he was coming."
Despite her efforts, she has been unable to track down the online strangers who shared this advice on the subreddit r/TwoXChromosomes - but credits them for saving her from whatever her stalker had planned.
"I can’t find the post, or remember the usernames of the people whose advice I followed, but thank you.
"Had it not have been for reading that post recently, I don’t know that I would have had the foresight, or awareness in the moment to know to not go into that bathroom."
Commenting on her post, one user said: "I'm sorry you had to go through that, and am so glad you are safe.
"If nothing else, you should contact security at the mall and tell them what happened.
"Hopefully they can review any security recordings and keep an eye out for him.
Another user added: "Keep in mind, you don't need to wait for the call to connect before saying this.
"Just start describing him into the dialling phone, say you are almost there, 'Are your brothers with you', etc. Anything to escalate the implied threat.
"These men are cowards, they will bolt every time."
A third user said: "Thank you for posting this. A lot of people haven’t been taught how to protect themselves.
"The more we talk about how to keep safe, the more of us learn."
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
